At least 170 activists from various nationalities, including about 30 Spaniards, were arrested by the Egyptian police and will be expelled from the country where they arrived to participate in the global march in gas, a symbolic initiative against the war of the Israeli war and the blockade about the lane, which the Government of Egypt did not allow.
Some of the detainees were stopped upon arrival at Cairo Airport, while others were arrested in hotels in the capital, where they stopped. Among them is Toledo Hulio Linares Carrascos, arrested last night at his hotel, which will be deported, according to Eldiario.es, several activists who are associated with him. At the moment, the Spaniards are delayed at Cairo International Airport, expecting to go to Spain tonight.
Two other activists from the Basque country were also arrested – identified as Melisa Perez Garcia and Begunya – who are at the airport, where the passports were deleted. “Their situation is not very good, they tell us that they do not allow them to go to the bathroom and that the food is not enough,” explains Ana Kaskon Soriano, an activist who is in close communication with women from Cairo.
“Last night we arrived at the hotel at 23:00 with people from the Spanish delegation (from the global march to gas) and several activists from the country of the Basque country. When we were already in bed, we heard a noise and were employees of the hotel with the police who played at the door from the room of two companions. They told them that they were illegal in the country, and that they were, with the exception of all that they had everything, but they were all with the exception. Says Cascon. Now they expect their deportation to Spain.
Cascoon recalls that they arrived in Egypt to put an end to the blockade of the Gaza. ” “We are not going to stop doing what we came to condemn the genocide and blockade of humanitarian aid and get to Rafakh to open the humanitarian corridor,” he says.
From the Spanish delegation of the global march in gas, they show a stupor for measures taken by Egypt: “We do not understand this maneuver of the Egyptian government, they accuse them of irregular stay, when they do not participate in any illegal activity, nothing can be accused of them.”
On Thursday in the afternoon, some of the Spaniards were released. “There is a consular (Spanish) presence at the airport, and they are currently leaving their hotels,” said the Spanish delegation.
The organization of the global march explained that it continues, as planned, despite the arrests and deportation. Activists will meet tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. at the Cairo point to travel on buses that were hired to the city of Al -Arysh, about 500 kilometers. From this city, the plan is to walk 50 kilometers to cross the border of the RAFA with a rural strip.
Most of the participants in the profit or arrive on the plane in the capital of Egypt, while the caravan, which left Algeria and Tunisia, will do it by land. Independent Egyptian Mada MARS reports that at least 40 Algerians were arrested on Wednesday upon arrival at Cairo Airport, according to lawyer Fatikha Ruibi. More than ten Morocco activists were also arrested at the airport.
In a statement published last night, the organizers called on the Egyptian authorities to release all detainees and allow the entry of others that they agree with the statement of the announcement of Egypt to see the end of the blockade and restore stability on their border. ” “Support for this global and peaceful movement will strengthen the position of Egypt as a key actor in the assistance of humanitarian access. We thank Egypt for holding such a historical and peaceful event in solidarity with the Palestinian people, ”he concluded.
Yesterday, the Egyptian security forces reported the arrest of more than a hundred activists who planned to participate in the global march in Gaza, EFE reports. Most of these detainees were French, but there were also Algerians, Moroccans and Libyans.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt recalled that foreign delegations should “get preliminary approval” in order to go to the border zone, which laid a veto on non -residents and under military control for many years.