Djibouti authorities have deported the vice-president of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), citing “security violations”, in a move condemned by watchdogs.
Mr Alexis Deswaef had arrived in the country two days earlier before officials from the Djibouti Security and Documentation Service picked him up on Monday and deported him to Ethiopia, the country he had last boarded a plane to Djibouti.
“His notes, phone and SIM cards were confiscated by the Djibouti authorities before he was forced to leave the country,” a statement from the FIDH said on Tuesday, indicating the official had a valid visa to stay in the country.
The incident followed the deportation of another FIDH official, this time a programmes officer who had arrived on Sunday. He was refused entry “without reason given,” the Paris-based rights watchdog said. “Police officers grabbed her by the arms and forced her to board a plane bound for Istanbul.”
A spokesperson of the Djibouti Border and Immigration Police accused the two of violating the country’s security laws, but didn’t clarify. FIDH says it had sent the officials to assess the situation of human rights defenders in the country.
“It served also to show solidarity of FIDH in their denouncing the numerous human rights violations committed by the authorities,” the watchdog said.
“This mission was organised in a particularly tense context. The legislative elections of 24 February 2023, held in general indifference and without the opposition, are evidence of the absence of democratic plurality and the political muzzling of civil society. This situation has persisted since President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh came to power over 24 years ago.”
