Twelve Egyptian human rights organizations on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the detention of dozens of Syrian and Palestinian refugees holding Syrian documents in Alexandria, though most of them have visas.
In a joint statement, the 12 groups denounced arbitrary measures taken against Syrians and Palestinians.
The statement also said they are detained in places that are not prepared for that purpose ahead of deportation, including 34 children – of which one suffers from Down's syndrome -and pointed out that the detainees contracted skin diseases due to unsanitary conditions while in detention.
An unidentified man had told the detainees he would help them sail to Italy for US$4,000 each, but they were arrested by coast guards.
The organizations that signed the statement are: The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, the Coalition of Child’s Rights, the Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement, the Egyptian Foundation for the Advancement of Childhood, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression, the Andalus Institute for Tolerance, the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, the Hisham Mubarak Center for Law, and Egyptians Against Religious Discrimination.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
