15. The Complainants allege that protestors were forcibly removed and bundled into buses and removed to several military and penitentiary locations in Mansheyet Nasser training Camp, Dahshour training Camp, Shebin Elkoum Prison, Qanatir Prison, Turra police barracks and to Abu Zaabal Prison. They state that families were torn apart, with children being separated from their parents during transfer to different camps and prisons in and around Cairo. 16. They also allege that detainees were denied essential medical treatment, food and access to information regarding family members who were also arrested and taken to different locations. They allege that detainees were also denied access to lawyers or the NGOs representing them. 17. The Complainants inform the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) that in the months preceding the forcible removal of the protestors, several controversial statements were made by UNHCR. On October 30, 2005, UNHCR issued a press release in which it cast doubt on the protesters’ claim to refugee status and protection. 3 The Complainants state that according to Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abou-El Geit, on 22 December 2005 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a letter from UNHCR stating that the situation had become critical and requesting that the Egyptian Government end the protest.4 18. The Complainants further aver that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release on 31 December 2005 indicating that the protesters had represented an uncivilized scene which threatened residents of the area and also expressed apprehension that communicable diseases may be prevalent in the camp. 19. The Complainants state that while card carrying refugees were generally released on the day following their arrest, some protesters were held for extended periods, however that by 11 February 2006, all of the Sudanese asylum seekers remaining in detention had been released from prison. See “Sudanese Demonstrations in Cairo,” UNHCR Cairo from in A Tragedy of Failures and Expectations by The American University in Cairo, Force Migration and Refugee Studies Program June 2006. 4 Ahmed Abu El Geit, “Egypt’s Calls to Explain the Facts Behind the Eviction of the Sudanese Protest, UNHCR Did Not Direct Any Blame to Egypt,” Al-Ahram, 3 January 2006. 3 5