Missing: 4 Egyptians deported by Malaysia

Detainees inside a soundproof glass dock at a courtroom in Egypt during the trial of 700 people. Rights groups say thousands of people have been arrested and summarily sentenced for their political activities by the military regime. (AFP pic)

PETALING JAYA: Fears have been expressed over the whereabouts of four Egyptians deported by Malaysian authorities last month, with a global rights watchdog demanding an explanation of the procedures used in expelling the men despite concerns over their personal safety.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Mohamed Fathy Eid, Abdallah Mahmoud Hisham, Abdelrahman Abdelaziz Ahmed and Azmy al-Sayed Mohamed, believed to be members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood party, were now at “serious risk of torture and ill-treatment in Egypt”.

It said another Egyptian national is also missing following his deportation from Turkey.

“Malaysia and Turkey should publicly report on the procedures they followed in these deportations, including whether they considered the risk of ill-treatment upon return and whether the deportees had access to the United Nations Refugee Agency,” said HRW Middle East and Northern Africa deputy director, Michael Page.

Malaysia deported six Egyptians and one Tunisian last month in a move criticised by rights groups as well as prime minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim.

According to HRW, two of them were students in their early 20s.

Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun defended the move, saying the men were a threat and had to be deported without delay.

“We want to thwart their network and activities as soon as possible. It is a serious threat,” he had said.

But HRW said the move violates the UN Convention against Torture which prohibits the forcible return of anyone to countries with a record of torturing dissidents.

It was learnt that the men were arrested in February without their families being notified.

HRW quoted their friends as saying that Malaysian police forced them onto a flight to Cairo via Bangkok, where Thai and Egyptian officials escorted them onto their flight at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

“The Malaysian authorities did not give the men access to the UN Refugee Agency, confiscated their phones, and did not allow them meaningful access to their lawyers,” said HRW, quoting friends of the four men.

“Malaysian authorities should have taken the men before a judge within 48 hours and provided them with legal recourse to challenge their deportation,” it added. - FMT