On Monday, the El Alamein prosecution at the Borg El Arab court in Western Egypt detained six individuals for 24 hours, pending investigations into charges of attempting to migrate illegally to Libya.
The Defence attorney for the six defendants, Mahmoud El-Samry, stated that the charges brought against his clients by the investigators “involve an attempt to illicitly traverse through El Alamein, a route towards the Libyan frontier, followed by their supposed escape through mountainous paths.”
In a televised interview, El-Samry reiterated that his clients have “rebuffed all allegations during their confrontation with the investigation authorities. The case is currently under review, with the public prosecutor’s office supervising the matter.”
The investigative agencies have listened to the testimonies, who all unanimously rejected the charges against them.
Security forces within the Matrouh Security Directorate were alerted by El Alamein’s investigation department about the arrest of the six individuals, which included children.
Further inquiries divulged that the individuals tried escaping into Libyan lands by traversing through El Alamein, and then journeying through mountainous pathways to reach Libya. The legal process is ongoing, and further developments are expected.
Migration has been a prominent issue affecting Africa and Europe. Libya is among the major routes of irregular migration from North Africa to Europe, across the Mediterranean sea. It has long been a transit and destination country for migrants aiming to reach Europe. However, the journey through Libya and across the sea is fraught with danger, and human rights abuses are often reported.
Meanwhile, Egypt has been actively working to combat human smuggling and illegal migration. The country introduced an anti-human smuggling law in 2016, and has since then been trying to clamp down on the issue. This latest arrest is part of these ongoing efforts.
However, despite these measures, many still attempt the perilous journey due to economic hardship, conflict, and lack of opportunities in their home countries. The issue of illegal migration is not just a matter of law enforcement but also touches on broader issues like global inequality, development, and human rights.
