Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that hundreds of Egyptian nationals currently held in Libyan prisons are expected to be released in the near future, as legal procedures to regularise their status and arrange their deportation to Egypt are close to completion.
In an official statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the announcement came during a meeting between Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Ambassador Haddad Al-Gohary and the families of Egyptians reported missing in Libya.
During the meeting, Al-Gohary urged families to exercise extreme caution when seeking information about their relatives, stressing the need to rely exclusively on official sources. He warned against being misled by unknown individuals or groups who exploit families financially by offering false information that later proves to be inaccurate.
The Egyptian official also called on families to take legal action against brokers, smugglers and illegal migration networks. He said these groups demand large sums of money to smuggle migrants through unlawful and dangerous routes toward European shores, placing lives at severe risk.
Al-Gohary highlighted the importance of adhering to official entry regulations when travelling to neighbouring countries, including obtaining proper visas and documented employment contracts, in order to safeguard both legal rights and human lives.
According to the ministry, more than 3,000 Egyptian nationals were deported from Libya during 2025 after being accused in cases related to illegal migration. The official also noted that over 1,200 Egyptians have already been released from Libyan prisons as part of ongoing efforts.
In addition, Egyptian authorities have overseen the transfer of around 300 bodies of Egyptian migrants who died in boat sinkings off the Libyan coast, with all repatriation costs covered by the Egyptian state.
Libya remains a key transit point for irregular migration across the Mediterranean, and Egyptian authorities say coordination continues to address detention cases, combat human smuggling networks and limit the risks associated with illegal migration.