A group of 65 immigrants arrive in Panama City after being released from Darien, a dangerous jungle region near Colombia.
Panama released 65 migrants who were detained in remote camps for several weeks after being deported from the US, and reported that they would have at least 30 days left Central America.
Officials said those released on Saturday would extend their stay in Panama up to 90 days if necessary, allowing them to begin legal proceedings for resettlement or voluntary return to their homeland.
The group has been released from Darien, a dangerous jungle region near the border with Colombia, and is an important transport route for many migrants crossing on foot from South America. They were camped since mid-February after being deported from the United States.
Rights groups argue that the release is a way to wash their hands of responsibility amid increasing criticism of human rights.
Many of the released migrants say they are fleeing escape and oppression in China, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal and other countries.
As part of the US administration’s policy to strengthen deportation, Panama reached a contract with Washington, receiving immigrants from third countries under which they were deported, and took over responsibility for repatriation or resettlement.
Immigration advocates and rights groups have accused the arrangement of cruelty to enable the United States to export the deportation process.
The agreement also cited human rights concerns when hundreds of deportees were detained in windows at hotels in Panama City and asked for help from their windows and said they were afraid of returning to their country.
Under International Refugee Law, people have the right to apply for asylum when they are fleeing conflict or persecution and cannot be forced to send back home.
However, deported migrants of those who refused to return to their home countries were sent to Darien, where they spent several weeks in poor condition, and even after taking their phones they had no access to the legal counsel and were not asked where they were going next.
Among those who got off one of the buses carrying immigrants who were released on Saturday was 27-year-old Nikita Gamonov. He fled Russia for crackdown due to being part of the LGBTQ+ community, and said he was detained at the US border but was not allowed asylum claims.
Hayatura Omar, 29, who fled Afghanistan in 2022 after the Taliban took control, was released on Saturday, and is in legal sphere and is rushing to find a way forward without returning to his homeland.
“Under any circumstances I can’t return to Afghanistan… it’s under the control of the Taliban and they want to kill me. How can I get back?”
Panama authorities also denied the charges of immigrant abuse, but prevented journalists from accessing the camp and canceled a planned press visit last week.
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