US Deportees Report Police Violence in Equatorial Guinea
Lawyers allege that two men deported to Equatorial Guinea faced arbitrary arrest and physical abuse after raising concerns about their detention conditions in a Malabo hotel.
Two men deported by the United States to Equatorial Guinea were arbitrarily arrested and subjected to physical violence, according to their legal representatives and human rights organizations. The allegations, disclosed on Friday, describe an incident in which police officers covered the men’s heads with bags, beat them, and held them at gunpoint inside a hotel that has been converted into a detention center for asylum seekers.
Ahmed Soliman, an Egyptian national, and Samson Birhane, from Eritrea, are among more than 40 individuals relocated to the central African state. Their lawyers assert that the arrests constitute retaliation for the men’s efforts to document and report on the harsh conditions of their confinement and the conduct of local authorities. The incident highlights ongoing tensions regarding the treatment of detainees under a bilateral agreement between Washington and Malabo.
Alleged Retaliation Against Detainees
According to Isabella Mosselmans, director of the Global Litigation Council, masked police officers entered hotel rooms on July 31, physically restraining several individuals and threatening them with firearms. The coalition representing the detainees claims that authorities have attempted to confiscate mobile phones and pressure Soliman and Birhane to agree to voluntary return to their countries of origin. Videos showing one of the men being held at gunpoint have been shared by international media outlets.
On September 11, Soliman and Birhane were arrested on the charge of breaking a mirror. Lawyers state that the men were subsequently returned to the hotel with bags over their heads and beaten in front of other detainees. Since their transfer to the La Luna police station, legal representatives have been unable to make contact with the individuals. Amnesty International has characterized the actions as reprisals for reporting violent threats from authorities.
Opaque Third-Country Deportation Deals
The Trump administration has utilized third-country agreements to deport thousands of individuals, often bypassing standard legal protections that would prevent return to home nations. Equatorial Guinea, a small but oil-rich nation, has entered into a $7.5 million deal with the United States. Critics argue that these arrangements serve as a legal mechanism to indirectly force asylum seekers back to their countries of origin, despite judicial orders in the U.S. that had protected many from such removals.
Although U.S. judges had shielded most deportees from return, twelve individuals have been sent back to their home countries, including four Ethiopians earlier this month. Immigration lawyers describe the practice as a loophole that undermines due process. The situation in Malabo has drawn scrutiny from rights groups who warn that the lack of oversight in these transfers allows for potential abuse without accountability.
Human Rights Concerns in Malabo
Equatorial Guinea is noted for its significant oil wealth, yet U.S. officials and international observers have cited widespread corruption and human rights abuses. The country is led by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has held power for decades. Rights organizations and the U.S. State Department have accused the government of detaining, torturing, and silencing dissidents. Critical voices are largely absent within the country, limiting independent verification of events at the detention site.
The Bamy Hotel on the outskirts of Malabo has become a focal point for these concerns, serving as a holding facility for those transferred under the U.S. agreement. The lack of transparency in the process has led to calls for greater international scrutiny. As the administration continues to expand its deportation policies, the treatment of detainees in third countries remains a contentious issue in global migration debates. The next developments will likely depend on whether independent observers can gain access to the site and if legal challenges in U.S. courts succeed in halting further transfers.
