Egypt’s recently ratified asylum law, the Law Regarding the Asylum of Foreigners (LRAF), has come under scrutiny for allegedly violating international refugee rights conventions. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the Egyptian government to reconsider the legislation, emphasizing the need for collaboration with civil society groups and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to align the bill with international standards.
The law, which was approved by the Egyptian Parliament in November 2024 and ratified by the President shortly thereafter, is Egypt’s first major legislative effort to manage the asylum of refugees. However, HRW has highlighted numerous loopholes and ambiguities within the law that could lead to violations of refugee rights, potentially excluding individuals from asylum or revoking their refugee status through the use of broad and undefined criteria.
Critics contend that the LRAF compromises Egypt’s commitments under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the 1969 African Refugee Convention. The law denies refugees certain rights, such as participating in political or union activities, and lacks procedural protections like the right to legal counsel or to contest detention legality. Moreover, it criminalizes irregular migration, contrary to Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention.
While the law does acknowledge some basic rights, such as access to healthcare and education, HRW warns that exceptions outlined in the bill are excessively broad, risking arbitrary denial or withdrawal of asylum status. Additionally, the creation of a new governmental body, the “Permanent Committee for Refugee Affairs,” has been criticized for potentially stifling cooperation with international organizations like the UNHCR.
The necessity of the legislation is underscored by the migration crisis following the armed conflict in Sudan, which has forced Egypt to accommodate over 1.2 million refugees. Despite this, rights organizations like Amnesty International have echoed similar concerns to those of HRW, urging a reexamination of the law due to its humanitarian implications.
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