The Story of Yaser Abdulla
Darfuri Asylum Seeker Who Was Tortured in the Sinai Desert Only to Face Imprisonment in Israel and a Life Without Refugee Status
abstract
The 33,000 African asylum seekers currently residing in Israel face a lack of legal status and receive no services from the state. The entire population is under pressure but those who have faced torture in the Sinai desert en route to Israel struggle with additional problems and have nowhere to turn for help. The story of Yaser Abdulla – an asylum seeker from Darfur who was tortured by Bedouin traffickers in the Sinai – illuminates the circumstances that pushed asylum seekers from their home, what they encounter on their way, and the situation they grapple with inside of Israel.
Keywords: Torture • Sinai • Israel • African asylum seekers