US Deportees Face Arrest and Abuse in Equatorial Guinea
WHO:
The Guardian - Ahmed Soliman, 31, from Egypt; Samson Birhane, 47, from Eritrea; President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea; Bella Mosselmans, director of the Global Strategic Litigation Council; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Amnesty International.
WHAT:
The Guardian - About 30 detainees from the US remain trapped at Hotel Bamy after being deported from the US.
ABC News - 12 people have been sent back to their countries of origin, including four Ethiopians earlier this month.
The Guardian - The US has sent at least 66 people from different African countries, Cuba, and Brazil to Equatorial Guinea as part of a deportation program.
ABC News - On July 31, masked Equatorial Guinean police officers broke into hotel rooms, grabbing detainees by the neck and threatening them at gunpoint.
The Guardian - Soliman and Birhane were bound, beaten, and pushed down a flight of stairs after being deported from the US to Equatorial Guinea.
ABC News - Over 40 people have been deported by the United States to Equatorial Guinea.
The Guardian - The US has sent at least 66 people from various countries to Equatorial Guinea as part of a deportation program.
ABC News - 12 people have been returned to their countries of origin, including four Ethiopians.
The Guardian - Detainees at Hotel Bamy have reported no medical care or fresh clothes since their arrival.
WHERE:
The Guardian - Hotel Bamy, located on the outskirts of Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
ABC News - La Luna police station, Equatorial Guinea.
WHEN:
The Guardian - The beating of Soliman and Birhane occurred on 11 September.
WHY:
The Guardian - The beating was believed to be retaliation for the men speaking to the press and human rights advocates about their conditions.
ABC News - The Trump administration has pursued deportations to deter immigration and has used third countries as a legal loophole to indirectly force asylum seekers back to their countries of origin.
HOW:
The Guardian - Police arrested Soliman and Birhane on accusations of breaking a mirror before beating them in front of other detainees.
ABC News - Police attempted to pressure Soliman and Birhane to agree to be returned to their countries and confiscated their phones.
The Guardian - Police covered the heads of Soliman and Birhane with bags, beat them, and held them at gunpoint.
ABC News - Police attempted to confiscate cellphones from detainees to prevent communication with lawyers and the media.
(UPDATED September 19, 2026 13:57 UTC)
About 30 detainees from the U.S. remain trapped at Hotel Bamy after being deported, while the U.S. has sent at least 66 people from various African countries, Cuba, and Brazil to Equatorial Guinea as part of a deportation program. Recently, 12 individuals, including four Ethiopians, were sent back to their countries of origin, and reports indicate that on July 31, masked Equatorial Guinean police officers violently entered hotel rooms, threatening detainees at gunpoint. In a separate incident, police arrested two detainees, Soliman and Birhane, accusing them of breaking a mirror, and pressured them to agree to return home while confiscating their phones.
--
(UPDATED September 19, 2026 12:58 UTC)
Ahmed Soliman from Egypt and Samson Birhane from Eritrea were reportedly bound, beaten, and pushed down a flight of stairs after being deported from the U.S. to Equatorial Guinea, with the incident occurring on September 11. The two men were allegedly targeted for speaking to the press and human rights advocates about their treatment, while reports indicate that detainees at Hotel Bamy have received no medical care or fresh clothing since their arrival. In total, the U.S. has deported over 40 individuals to Equatorial Guinea as part of a broader strategy to deter immigration, with police reportedly attempting to confiscate cellphones from detainees to limit their communication with legal representatives and the media.