Men deported from US bound and beaten in Equatorial Guinea detention hotel, lawyers say

Key Points:

• Two men deported from the US to Equatorial Guinea under the Trump administration were reportedly bound, beaten, and pushed down stairs in front of other detainees at Hotel Bamy, a detention center known for poor conditions and human rights abuses.
• About 30 US deportees remain trapped at the hotel, suffering from lack of medical care, confiscation of phones, and constant surveillance by armed guards; some detainees have been forcibly sent to countries where they face persecution.
• The US government has deported at least 66 people to Equatorial Guinea as part of a $7.5 million cooperation deal, sending individuals to third countries where they have no ties or legal status, raising concerns about violations of international human rights standards.
• Human rights advocates and UN experts have condemned the treatment of deportees, calling for accountability and urging Equatorial Guinea to halt forced returns to home countries where deportees face torture or persecution.
• US authorities, including ICE and the State Department, have declined to address allegations of abuse or intervene, stating that responsibility ends once individuals leave US custody and emphasizing their legal right to remove those without permission to remain in the US.