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The Refugees Platform in Egypt has received documented information, reports, testimonies and videos where, according to which, the Egyptian authorities have detained hundreds of international activists during the last few days upon their arrival at Cairo airport, or from various areas within Egypt, despite their possession of legal entry visas. This is due to their tireless and courageous attempts to break the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip during the Israeli occupation’s genocidal war on Palestinians in Gaza.
Many of them were interrogated for hours before being forced to leave the country, while others are still detained inside Egypt without any possible formal charges made against them, which is in clear violation of Egyptian law and international human rights standards. These activists were on their way to participate in peaceful solidarity demonstrations aimed at breaking the siege on Gaza, most notably the March to Gaza, a popular voluntary initiative organized by a group of Arab and European activists, which is scheduled to set off this week from Sharm el-Sheikh to the Rafah crossing.
In addition to the March to Gaza, two other initiatives are facing similar restrictions despite their peaceful and humanitarian nature: The Diplomatic Convoy, launched by a Palestinian organization with the participation of international parliamentarians and politicians to press for the sustainable opening of the Rafah crossing for humanitarian aid; and The Maghreb Al-Somoud convoy, which launched from Tunisia on June 9th with the participation of 1,500 to 2,000 solidarity and human rights activists from Maghreb countries which arrived in the city of Zawiya in Libya to wide and populous reception, while the Egyptian authorities’ position on allowing its entry is still unclear.
Despite the clearly peaceful nature of these initiatives, recent developments indicate that the Egyptian authorities are adopting an excessive security approach that restricts forms of popular expression and solidarity; and undermines humanitarian support for the people of Gaza who are enduring ethnic cleansing, a genocidal campaign, and systematic starvation, as described by the UN and international organizations.
The Refugees Platform in Egypt severely condemns the detention and deportation of the international human rights and solidarity activists; and emphasizes that their entry was not only legal but that they have not engaged in any practices that justify them being targeted by security forces. The continuation of these practices contradicts Egypt’s official statements condemning the Israeli blockade and undermines the credibility of Egypt’s role as a declared humanitarian mediator in the Gaza crisis.
While the platform believes that these movements represent a moral and humanitarian responsibility, and do not pose any threat to Egyptian security, the platform still calls on the Egyptian government to:
- Immediately release all activists detained for their participation in peaceful demonstrations
- Stop the forcible deportation of international activists
- Allow the entry of international activists to enable them to complete their solidarity march to Gaza.
- Guarantee freedom of expression and movement for all Egyptian and international participants in peaceful demonstrations and issue an official clarification from the Egyptian government regarding its position on these demonstrations, as well as commit to facilitating their access to the Rafah crossing.
- Hold accountable those responsible for agitating and disrupting these movements or abusing their power to suppress legitimate humanitarian demonstrations
Any measure taken to restrict or suppress these demonstrations is a material contribution to the continuation of the siege and starvation of Palestinians that harms Egypt’s regional reputation and international standing as well as the credibility of Egypt’s historically established, previously stated positions on the national liberation of Palestine.
