Full Breakdown
U.S. Deportees Beaten and Detained at Equatorial Guinea’s Hotel Bamy
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The Incident at Hotel Bamy
On September 11, police officers at the Hotel Bamy detention center on the outskirts of Malabo hooded, bound and beat two U.S. deportees—Ahmed Soliman, 31, of Egypt, and Samson Birhane, 47, of Eritrea—before pushing them down a flight of stairs. Witnesses said officers shouted for phones and later arrested the men, transferring them to a prison in Malabo. The assault was captured on video by Soliman and shared with lawyers and the media.
Background and Context
Since the Trump administration began sending people who could not be returned to their home countries to third-state partners, Equatorial Guinea has received at least 66 deportees from the United States, including nationals from African nations, Cuba and Brazil. The arrangement, valued at $7.5 million, allows the United States to remove individuals without granting them legal status in the receiving country. Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich autocracy, is repeatedly cited by the U.S. State Department for torture, arbitrary arrest and other human-rights violations.
Data and Statistics
- 66 people deported to Equatorial Guinea under the U.S. program (multiple sources).
- 29 U.S. deportees remain detained at Hotel Bamy (one source) versus “about 30” reported by another source.
- 12 deportees have been sent back to their countries of origin, including four Ethiopians earlier this month.
- $7.5 million paid by the United States to Equatorial Guinea for the cooperation.
Timeline
- July 31 — Masked police broke into several hotel rooms, tackled occupants, handcuffed them and threatened them at gunpoint.
- September 11 — Soliman and Birhane were hooded, beaten and arrested after a video of guard violence circulated.
- April 22 — Photographs of the Bamy Hotel showed its dilapidated condition (photo published by ABC News).
Official Statements & Responses
A State Department spokesperson stated that the U.S.
Criticism and Opposition
Human-rights lawyers and advocacy groups allege that the beating was retaliation for the men’s attempts to expose conditions at the hotel. Bella Mosselmans, director of the Global Strategic Litigation Council, called the situation “a human rights catastrophe.” Isabella Mosselmans, also of the Global Strategic Litigation Council, noted an “escalating” pattern of police violence against deportees.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are in imminent danger now and can’t keep living like this,” — Ahmed Soliman
- “This is a human rights catastrophe,” — Bella Mosselmans, director of the Global Strategic Litigation Council
- “You will disappear from the earth. I am the law.” — Witnesses
- “Over the past months, we have observed escalating cases of police violence,” — Isabella Mosselmans, director of the Global Strategic Litigation Council
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact number of detainees remaining at Hotel Bamy, citing 29 versus “about 30.” Lawyers also report that multiple emails sent to the U.S. embassy in Equatorial Guinea warning of threats have gone unanswered, leaving the extent of U.S. diplomatic awareness unclear.
What’s Next
In July, the African Commission issued an urgent interim order directing the Equatorial Guinea government to refrain from further deportations, transfers or relocations of detainees against their will. The order remains in effect as lawyers continue a lawsuit challenging the conditions at Hotel Bamy and as U.S. officials face calls for accountability.