Two men who were deported from the United States were allegedly hooded, bound, beaten with guns, and shoved down a staircase by police officers at the Bamy Hotel in Equatorial Guinea — an incident described by witnesses and lawyers and reported by the New York Times. These men are part of a group of more than two dozen asylum seekers being held at the hotel against their will, none of whom face any criminal charges in the country.

The hotel itself has become a de facto prison under a $7.5 million agreement between the U.S. government and Equatorial Guinea, a country the State Department itself has flagged for torture and arbitrary arrest. Deportees describe round-the-clock surveillance by armed police, neglected medical needs, and conditions including water leaks and inadequate food. Witnesses say the beatings were meant to keep the men from speaking out about what's happening inside.

When asked about the situation, a State Department spokesperson told the Mirror US only that "we do not comment on the details of our private diplomatic communications with other governments" — leaving serious allegations of violence against people in U.S. custody unanswered.

No one should be beaten, hooded, and thrown down a staircase for trying to describe the conditions they're being held in — regardless of their immigration status or what country they've been sent to. We're calling for an independent investigation into the treatment of deportees at the Bamy Hotel, full transparency about the terms of this $7.5 million arrangement, and immediate protections for the people still being held there.

Sign the petition to demand an independent investigation into the abuse at the Bamy Hotel — before another person is hurt.