The Egyptian authorities announced on 4 January that they will be delaying the deportation of the Sudanese nationals for 72 hours (up to the morning of 8 January), and have allowed the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) access to them for this period. The UNHCR is visiting the three detention centres where they are held in order to identify those who may be refugees or asylum-seekers and therefore, in accordance with international law, should not be deported.
