About The Case
As a result of the 2013 military coup in Egypt, thousands of Egyptian nationals have sought refugee status in countries throughout the world. Among those seeking asylum are political activists, opposition figures, journalists, and human rights advocates. In the past several years, hundreds of people have come to Canada, many of them were members of different political parties, and some held various roles in the country’s first democratically elected government and Parliament. Some of these individuals were members of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB).
The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has approved refugee claims for the majority of Egyptians who arrived across the country. However, since 2017 the CBSA in Vancouver has taken a position that Egyptian refugees associated with the FJP or MB should be inadmissible to Canada under Section 34(1)(f) of the Immigration Act. The CBSA has suspended the refugee claims of 5 families. The cases presented by the CBSA are tainted with Islamophobia and heavily rely on far-right sources, unreliable information, and Egyptian state-sponsored propaganda to justify the military coup.
Media Coverage
4000+ Egyptians accepted
5 Families facing deportation
1 Refugee facing deportation
No allegation of personal wrongdoing
Tainted by Islamophobia
Lawyers for Egyptian asylum-seeker facing deportation say oversight of CBSA needed
CTV News OTTAWA -- Lawyers for an Egyptian asylum-seeker are calling for increased oversight of the Canada Border Services Agency after he says his family has faced intimidation since an officer contacted authorities in his country of origin. Naseem Mithoowani said...
Family of asylum seeker intimidated after Canada official contacts Egypt regime
Middle East Monitor - The family of an Egyptian asylum seeker facing deportation from Canada are being intimidated after a Canadian official contacted authorities in Cairo. Abdelrahman Elmady says that as a result of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA)'s...
They say they fought for democracy. Border guards argue they supported a terror group. Will they get to stay in Canada?
Toronto Star - Attia Elserafy remembers taking to the streets with his family. A human rights and labour activist all his life, the 60-year-old had been encouraged, he says, by the Arab Spring and saw hope for a new and democratic Egypt. With his wife and five...
Family of asylum-seekers claims discrimination as they fight to stay in Canada
CTV News - A family who fled Egypt over fears of persecution for the father’s political activism is fighting for the right to remain in Canada. A member of the Freedom and Justice Party during the Arab Spring in 2011, Attia Elserafy said he feared for his safety after...
Egyptians in Canada protest threat to deport asylum seekers
Middle East Eye - Dozens of Arab and Egyptian demonstrators on Saturday protested in four Canadian cities against attempts to deport asylum seekers back to Egypt, London-based news outlet Arabi21 reported. Middle East Eye The protests were organised in Vancouver,...
Protesters rally to support Egyptians refused asylum by border officers
Toronto Star - Demonstrators gathered at Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino’s constituency office on Saturday to protest what they say is Islamophobia in the Canada Border Services Agency. “We are protesting because we have a group of CBSA officers who are...