President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has extended his war on dissent to Egypt’s growing refugee population. Under a new law ratified in December, refugees fleeing violence in Sudan and Palestine could have their status cancelled for participating in political or union activities. Although the law purports to standardize Egypt’s refugee regulations, critics warn the measures risk criminalizing people on the move.
Since the civil war broke out in Sudan in April 2023, 1.2 million asylum-seekers from the country have escaped to Egypt, joining the 100,000 Palestinian and 150,000 Syrian refugees already there. In response, Sisi’s government has taken over the administration of asylum-seekers from the UN’s refugee agency UNHCR. The responsibility for determining claims and ensuring provision of support and services for refugees will now be handled by a new government-run regulatory body.
