Author
Egypt does not operate dedicated detention centers for refugees. Instead, they are usually held in the same facilities used to detain Egyptian nationals, such as police stations, prisons, and other holding sites. Some military installations, especially in border areas, are also used to detain refugees registered with UNHCR, migrants and prima facie refugees prior to deportation.[1]
Police stations
Police stations serve as key detention points for asylum seekers who are arrested and held temporarily, particularly in border governorates such as Aswan, the Red Sea, Marsa Matrouh, and Alexandria. The cells in these facilities are often overcrowded and lack adequate preparation; basic services and proper sanitation are frequently unavailable.
Unofficial detention facilities
In some cases, refugees, migrants and prima facie refugees are held in camps operated by the Central Security Forces or in military facilities that are not designated for detention, which constitutes a serious violation of their rights. In certain locations, they are confined in improvised spaces, such as storage rooms or a mosque inside security compounds, which worsens their humanitarian situation. This type of detention denies them the rights guaranteed to other detainees held up in legal detention facilities, including necessary healthcare, particularly for older people, pregnant women, and children, which constitutes a clear violation of their rights.
Temporary detention at border crossings
When migrants, asylum seekers and prima facie refugees are arrested while attempting irregular entry, they are detained at Central Security Forces facilities or military border posts while decisions are made regarding their immediate deportation or referral to the Public Prosecution. They are often held without any clear legal procedures, and some are prevented from accessing lawyers or submitting asylum claims.[2]
[1] Investigation: Inside Egypt’s secret system for detaining and deporting thousands of Sudanese refugees, the Refugees Platform in Egypt and The New Humanitarian, April 2024, available here
[2] The Global Detention Project | Egypt Immigration Detention Profile, available here