Image source: ishr.ch
On September 4, 2024, the UN Human Rights Council declared that Syria remains “unsafe” for the return of refugees, emphasizing that the root causes of human rights violations have not been adequately addressed.
In a statement ahead of its 57th session, scheduled from September 9 to October 11, 2024, the Council highlighted its commitment to conducting an interactive dialogue with the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria.
The Council proposed that legal frameworks must address political persecution, including the persecution of human rights defenders, and called for an end to impunity for human rights violations, stressing that these issues continue to be significant obstacles to the safe and voluntary return of Syrians.
The Council emphasized that the deportation and forcible return of individuals to areas where torture is systematically practiced violates the principle of non-refoulement, a customary international law binding on all states.
The statement cited findings from the Commission of Inquiry, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other UN bodies, confirming that thousands of individuals returning to regime-controlled areas in Syria are at risk of arbitrary detention, torture, and enforced disappearance.
To underscore that Syria remains unsafe for refugee return, the Council urged civil society organizations to call on states to leverage the latest review of Syria by the Human Rights Committee and the interim measures issued by the International Court of Justice on torture.
The Council also called on member states to demand that the Syrian regime implement the Human Rights Committee’s recommendations and the International Court of Justice’s interim measures. Additionally, the Council encouraged neighboring countries to halt deportations and any actions that could lead to refoulement, as long as acts of torture in Syria are documented.
On August 6, 2024, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated that it does not support the “large-scale” voluntary return of Syrian refugees at this time, citing the lack of necessary security and material conditions. However, the UNHCR affirmed that refugees retain the right to return despite these challenges.
Syrian refugees in neighboring countries continue to face the threat of deportation and endure harsh conditions aimed at pressuring them to leave. Approximately five million Syrian refugees registered with the UNHCR reside in Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt.
A report from Human Rights Watch, published on September 4, 2024, documented cases where Lebanese and Cypriot authorities denied refugees access to Europe and deported them back to Syria, putting them in danger.
The report reiterated the principle that Syrian refugees must not be forcibly returned to their country, as it violates international law. It also called for the removal of barriers preventing Syrians from safely returning, the end of security threats and intimidation, and accountability for those responsible for war crimes.
