Image source: wikimedia
The UNHCR has stated that it does not encourage the large-scale voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their country at this time.
In its monthly report for July, the UNHCR clarified on August 6, 2024, that it does not support the return of refugees to Syria due to the ongoing lack of necessary security and material conditions, while reminding that refugees have the right to return despite the challenges.
The UNHCR noted that the security, social, and economic situation in Syria continues to deteriorate, 14 years after the onset of the Syrian crisis.
The organization continues to work to address the concerns of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees at risk, regardless of the status of return.
Surveys conducted by the UNHCR since 2017 in major refugee-hosting countries have revealed various obstacles preventing refugees from returning, primarily related to safety, security, and legal concerns.
Syrian refugees in neighboring countries face the threat of deportation and live under harsh conditions intended to pressure them into leaving, with their “voluntary” return to Syria being a significant focus. Currently, 5 million Syrian refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reside in Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt.
On July 4, 2024, Bill Frelick, director of the Refugee and Migrant Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, stated that countries hosting Syrian refugees continue to promote the concept of “safe zones” within Syria as potential return destinations for these refugees.
Frelick described the reality of these safe zones as often “unsafe” and even “treacherous,” contradicting the assurances provided by refugee-hosting countries.
On July 3, 2024, Paulo Pinheiro, Chairman of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, warned that Syrian refugees risk deportation from neighboring countries and forced returns, facing potential arrest, disappearance, or returning to find their homes and farms destroyed. He emphasized that “there is no way to earn a living there.”
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations stated on May 27, 2024, that no area in Syria can be considered “safe” for the return of refugees.
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria declared on May 14, 2024, that Syria remains an unsafe country for return, with civilians suffering from the absence of the rule of law and widespread insecurity.
Same Justice Human Rights emphasizes the principle of not forcibly returning Syrian refugees to their home country, asserting that such returns violate international law.
Additionally, Same Justice Human Rights calls for the removal of obstacles preventing Syrians from returning, the elimination of intimidation and security tightening, the provision of appropriate security conditions, and accountability for all those involved in various forms of war crimes.
