United Nations Radio

The UN refugee agency- UNHCR has expressed alarm over credible reports of the ongoing forceful returns of Eritrean asylum seekers from Egypt.

This despite the agency's appeals to halt any return of asylum seekers until it has had time to access the detention centres to evaluate the claims for international protection.

Spokeswoman Jennifer Pagonis.

"We are asking for unhindered access to all persons seeking asylum currently in detention and requesting the Egyptian authorities to urgently provide information on the location and well-being of some 1400 Eritreans and other people of concern to us whose names and detention locations have been previously shared with us by the authorities."

Pagonis says UNHCR is urging the authorities to halt the deportation and respect their obligations under the 1951 refugee convention to which Egypt is a signatory.