US Deportees Held in Equatorial Guinea Were Beaten by Police, Lawyers Say
Key Facts
The United States is deporting migrants to countries other than their own and seeking similar deals in the Caribbean. Lawyers now say two such deportees were beaten by police in Equatorial Guinea.
Ahmed Soliman, an Egyptian, and Samson Birhane, an Eritrean, were arrested and beaten in Malabo, their lawyers said on 18 September. The Gleaner published the Associated Press report on 19 September, as Caribbean governments weigh similar deals with Washington.
Why This Matters
The Trump administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries other than their own, the report said. Immigration lawyers call these third-country deportations a loophole to push asylum seekers back to their home countries indirectly.
The policy reaches the Caribbean, where Washington is negotiating with several CARICOM member states, The Gleaner reported separately. CARICOM is the Caribbean Community, the regional bloc whose members include Jamaica.
On 18 September, a Boston appeals court largely upheld a ruling requiring notice before such removals, as The Rio Times reported. Removals can still proceed after notice and a chance to object, and DHS says the ruling is not yet in effect.
What the Lawyers Say
The US has deported over 40 people to Equatorial Guinea under an opaque US$7.5 million deal, AP reported. AP said President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo turned the Bamy Hotel near Malabo into a prison for asylum seekers.
Police arrested the two men on 11 September, accusing them of breaking a mirror, according to their lawyers. Officers later brought them back with bags over their heads and beat them in front of other detainees, the lawyers said.
The lawyers believe the arrests were retaliation for the men raising alarm about their detention conditions. Amnesty International said the pair are held in an overcrowded police cell and cannot speak to their lawyer.
Both men had lived in the United States for decades before their deportation, according to the report. Twelve deportees have been sent back to their countries of origin, including four Ethiopians this month, lawyers said.
The Caribbean Negotiations
Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador in Washington, Sir Ronald Sanders, said talks on receiving deportees will resume at US request. He said no agreement has been reached and no transfer has been authorised.
A parliamentary resolution preserves the government’s authority to approve or reject each proposed person individually. It also rules out any automatic or open-ended programme, according to The Gleaner.
What Is Not Yet Known
The published reports include no response from Equatorial Guinea’s government to the allegations. It is not known whether any Jamaicans or other Caribbean nationals are among the deportees in Malabo.
The reports do not say which other CARICOM states are negotiating with Washington. The lawyers said they have been unable to reach the two men since their transfer to La Luna police station.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a third-country deportation?
It is the removal of a migrant to a country other than their own. Lawyers say the practice indirectly pushes asylum seekers back home.
Is Jamaica affected?
The men in this case are Egyptian and Eritrean, not Jamaican. Washington is, however, negotiating similar deals with several CARICOM states.
Sources: The Gleaner/AP, US deportees to Equatorial Guinea arrested and beaten, ABC News/AP, the same report, The Gleaner, Antigua to resume talks with US on deportee deal, The Rio Times, Boston appeals court ruling on third-country deportations
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