The Delhi Police has arrested almost 30 African refugees prior to now week and despatched them to a detention centre within the metropolis.
Ankit Chauhan, the deputy commissioner of police in South Delhi, informed Scroll that the refugees have been “illegally overstaying their visas and passports” and have been arrested underneath “routine train”.
However, human rights activists have alleged that the police appear to be “going after” African refugees, as has been the case with the detention of Rohingya refugees in latest months.
Nandita Haksar, a human rights lawyer and writer, stated that African refugees have been being focused “because the police went to Malviya Nagar [in South Delhi], not different locations”.
The Malviya Nagar space is house to a number of refugee teams.
On the opposite hand, Chauhan alleged that the visas of the African refugees had expired and that “UNHCR playing cards usually are not accepted by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office”.
“Whatever paperwork they’ve usually are not accepted,” he claimed.
He was referring to the identification paperwork issued to asylum-seekers and refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. While it protects towards refugees from being despatched again to their house nations, the cardboard doesn’t grant holders the best to stay within the host nation.
India doesn’t have a legislation overlaying the safety of refugees and is not a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Refugees. The 2025 Immigration and Foreigners Act, which got here into impact from September 1, criminalises undocumented refugees and grants authorities the ability to disclaim them entry or exit.
The police didn’t present the variety of refugees who had been arrested, however these within the Lampur detention centre informed Scroll that about 30 African residents had been held.
One of the refugees arrested by the police is Ahmed Gaber of Sudan. The 46-year-old was held on September 13 and despatched to the Lampur detention centre in northwestern Delhi.
Gaber had come to India in 2022 together with his 29-year-old spouse on a medical visa for her remedy.
The visa expired in 2023, however he didn’t return to Sudan due to the civil battle there.
In June 2024, Gaber and his spouse have been issued UNHCR playing cards. Their one-year-old daughter additionally has a UNHCR card. Scroll has seen the identification playing cards.
“I used to be arrested together with my spouse and daughter, however my spouse and daughter have been launched they usually have been requested to return to Sudan,” Gaber informed Scroll.
He added: “But my spouse stated that she wouldn’t go alone. She informed the police that she’s going to undergo and can’t dwell alone as who will feed them. The police beat her up as she refused to depart the police station except I used to be launched. She was then pressured to [leave the police station].”
Gaber expressed concern concerning the safety of his household. It is unclear to him how lengthy he will likely be held within the detention camp.
“My diabetic spouse lives on the fourth flooring as a result of the lease is affordable, and he or she has an toddler,” he stated. “I have no idea how she’s going to handle to carry the fundamental requirements whereas carrying her child, how she’s going to deal with her life, and whether or not the UNHCR will a minimum of assist her with meals and primary requirements.”
Saleh, a 34-year-old Sudanese citizen, was arrested on September 11. He had come to India in 2010 to review and pursued a bachelor’s diploma in pharmacy in Chennai.
“I’ve been residing in Delhi since 2018 after I utilized for the refugee card with the UNHCR as I couldn’t return house in Sudan due to the battle,” Saleh informed Scroll. “I had thought that after getting the UNHCR card, it will be protected to maneuver round. But I discover issues are totally different.”
Saleh stated that the police had been visiting Malviya Nagar since final week and making an attempt to arrest African refugees residing there.
“A staff of seven policemen got here to our house at midnight and took us to the Malviya Nagar police station,” Saleh stated. “They didn’t give me time to pack up my issues. From there, we have been taken to RK Puram detention centre and later they despatched us to [Lampur] detention centre.”
The police “didn’t take heed to us” regardless of us exhibiting them the refugee playing cards and paperwork, Saleh alleged.
“They informed us that the UNHCR card just isn’t recognised in India,” Saleh claimed. “They didn’t hear or cooperate with us. I informed them that I’m able to face the legislation as I’ve performed nothing improper. But they didn’t hear.”
Abdalmalek Mohamed, a 42-year-old Sudanese citizen, who was arrested in November, informed Scroll that the detention centre in Lampur had greater than 300 inmates from a number of nations, together with African refugees like him.
“Some of them are staying for greater than three years…” he stated.
“The barracks are full. In one barrack, there are greater than 20 inmates,” he added. “It could be very crowded and the meals could be very dangerous. I’ve been consuming solely dal, potato and plain rice for the final 10 months. I don’t have cash.”
According to knowledge from the Global Detention Project, a Geneva-based human rights organisation, the facility in Lampur is an immigration detention centre underneath the custodial authority of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, Delhi Police Special Branch. It is managed by the Delhi authorities’s Department of Social Welfare.
It homes asylum seekers, recognised refugees and undocumented migrants.
Mohamed, who can be lodged on the centre, informed Scroll that he had utilized for the refugee and humanitarian visa in Australia in March 2024.
“My utility standing continues to be pending,” he stated. “My worry is that they could ship me to [his] nation or they could detain us indefinitely. I can’t return due to the battle and the illnesses like dengue raging in my nation.”
Mohamed had come to India in 2022. He had beforehand studied in Bengaluru in 2014-’15. He acquired the UNHCR card in January 2024.
Citing the arrests of African and Rohingya refugees, lawyer Nandita Haksar stated that solely Muslim refugees have been being picked up by the police.
“After the Rohingyas, they’re going after the African Muslim refugees,” she alleged.
Haksar added: “These are Africans who’ve come out of a civil battle as everybody is aware of Sudan and Somalia are the worst affected. These are probably the most weak due to two causes: they’re black and they’re topic to racial discrimination [in India]. Secondly, they’re Muslims and they’re subjected to non secular discrimination.”
In a video accessed by Scroll, an African refugee was seen being pressured right into a civilian automotive with a bunch of uniformed police personnel and males in plain garments. The refugee was seen being manhandled and hit as he was resisting the police motion.
Haksar stated that “these individuals or non-citizens have the best to life in India and the best to safety towards arbitrary motion”.
“This is a violation of Article 14 and Article 21 as on stands at this time,” she added.
Article 14 ensures equality earlier than the legislation and Article 21 protects the elemental proper to life and private liberty.
Haksar stated whereas India recognises the UNHCR as a result of the Ministry of External Affairs is on the manager committee of the United Nations physique, the “[Union] house ministry says that these refugees are all unlawful migrants”.
Also learn: As India cracks down on refugees, it’s betraying its lengthy dedication to worldwide solidarity
