LFL: The Egyptians deported by Malaysian govt have disappeared and their fates are unknown 

We refer to Malaysia’s deportation on 5th March 2018 of 6 Egyptians back to Egypt for alleged involvement in terrorism, despite serious concern that they would be persecuted by Egypt’s military regime.

Since the deportation, the wives and families of the men have been unable to locate them or obtain any information as to their whereabouts or their condition from the Egyptian authorities.

They were to have arrived in Cairo on an Egypt air flight from Bangkok in the early hours of 6th March 2019. But in response to enquiries by family members, the Egyptian authorities in Cairo claim not to know where they are. They have effectively disappeared into thin air!

The wives and families of the deported men are frantic with worry and desperately seeking information.

This is precisely why the Malaysian government was urged not to deport these men.

For being associated with the Muslim Brotherhood which is engaged in a political struggle with the military dictatorship of President Sisi, the men were certain to be subjected to abuse, torture and possible execution. The families strongly maintain that the men are victims of political persecution in Egypt and are innocent of allegations of terrorism.

The IGP and the government were fully aware of the extreme danger the men faced in Egypt if deported. The right course of action would have been for Malaysia to put them on trial, if there were any real evidence of terrorism-related activities on Malaysian soil.

Blindly cooperating with a brutal and undemocratic foreign regime is plainly unacceptable and contrary to the aspirations of Malaysia as a democratic, responsible and just nation.

The wives and families now rightly hold the IGP and Malaysian government responsible for the lives and safety of the deported men.

The government must now officially enquire from the Egyptian government as to the fate of the men, and take responsibility for their wrongful actions in hastily deporting them without due process or proper enquiry or trial.