Syrian refugees in neighboring countries are facing the threat of deportation and are living under harsh conditions aimed at forcing them out of those countries and encouraging their “voluntary” return to their homeland.
Turkey
Turkey has seen new actions concerning Syrian refugees within its borders.
Local websites have confirmed extensive inspection operations targeting Syrians in the city of Gaziantep in southern Turkey.
These inspections included homes, workplaces, roads, markets, shops, and transportation stations at more than 60 points. Hundreds of Syrians have been transferred to deportation centers, raising fears among Syrian refugees throughout Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that his government is ready to work together to develop relations with its counterpart in Syria.
On June 27, 2024, Özgür Özel, the head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the largest opposition party in Turkey, vowed to take the initiative to solve the Syrian refugee problem.
Iraq
Human Rights Watch has reported that Iraqi authorities are arbitrarily arresting and deporting Syrian refugees back to their home country.
On June 27, 2024, the organization documented cases of Syrians being deported despite having legal residency or being registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Sarah Sanbar, a researcher specializing in Iraqi affairs for Human Rights Watch, stated that they could not determine the total number of deported Syrians. She accused Iraq of endangering the lives of Syrian asylum seekers by forcibly returning them to their country.
Iraq hosts at least 260,000 Syrian refugees, 90% of whom reside in the Kurdistan region.
Lebanon
Human Rights Watch condemned the Syrian regime forces for the death of Ahmad Four, who was tortured to death after being forcibly returned from Lebanon.
On June 7, 2024, Lebanese authorities warned Syrians residing “illegally” to vacate their homes in several Lebanese towns.
Two Lebanese parliamentarians and several other figures assisted security forces in executing the Ministry of Interior and the Governor of the North’s decision, which mandated the eviction of northern towns in Lebanon from Syrian refugees.
Lebanon has resumed deporting Syrians back to their homeland following a previous “racist” campaign against Syrians, despite international reminders that Syria remains “unsafe.”
Jordan
On May 17, 2024, Amnesty International called on Jordanian authorities to immediately halt the forced deportation of two detained Syrian refugees to Syria.
Amnesty International stated that Jordan should immediately stop the forced deportation of the two Syrian refugees, who are believed to face real risks of severe human rights violations if returned to Syria. Refugees deported back to Syria face the threat of persecution, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment and arbitrary detention.
In a report dated September 29, 2023, Human Rights Watch stated that Syria remains an unsafe country for refugees to return to.
