An Egyptian man deported from the U.S. to Equatorial Guinea, who had spoken out against alleged mistreatment by security forces, has been taken into police custody and is being held incommunicado, his lawyer said. Ahmed Soliman's phones were seized earlier in the week after he spoke to reporters about an altercation with police.
The case highlights concerns over the safety and treatment of migrants deported under U.S. third-country arrangements, particularly when they speak out against alleged abuses by host country security forces.
An Egyptian man deported from the United States to Equatorial Guinea, who had previously spoken out against alleged mistreatment by security forces, has been taken into police custody and is being held incommunicado, his U.S.-based lawyer said on Friday. Ahmed Soliman's lawyer, Kate O'Donnell, stated that security forces removed him from the Hotel Bamy, where migrants are being held.
Earlier in the week, security forces had returned to the hotel and seized the phones of the migrants, citing a Reuters story about an altercation where police allegedly pulled guns on Soliman and others. Soliman had reportedly told O'Donnell that the phones were seized because of his speaking to reporters.
The U.S. administration has defended its third-country deportation agreements, which allow for the return of migrants to countries other than their home nations when direct repatriation is not possible. However, rights groups have criticized these arrangements as opaque and have raised concerns that some deportees may ultimately be returned to the countries they originally fled.
Equatorial Guinea's government and its embassy in Washington have not responded to inquiries regarding the incidents or Soliman's current whereabouts. A coalition of human rights groups has demanded confirmation of the safety of their clients, who they allege have been subjected to police violence and are now being held incommunicado.