A report recently released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) outlines challenging conditions Syrian refugees face upon their return to the country. These hardships represent a distressing mix of general insecurity in the aftermath of their civil war, ongoing violations of human rights law, international humanitarian law, and a severe economic situation. A significant revelation is that most Syrians are now more fearful of not having food than they are of bombings.
In the report, it’s noted that many Syrians have chosen to return to the country from abroad due to deteriorating socio-economic situations, despite the continued armed conflict and instability. This is particularly the case for those Syrians in neighboring countries like Lebanon and Turkey, where they have faced increasing pressures from authorities, including arrests and deportations. This was exemplified when in May 2022, Turkey announced the “resettlement” of one million Syrian refugees.
The devastating war in Syria, which began in 2011, resulted in approximately 6.7 million Syrian refugees. The UNHCR has tracked the return of over 388,679 Syrians from neighboring countries back to Syria as of November 30, 2023. Sadly, a large number of these returnees found themselves forced to leave Syria for the second time.
As one of the signatories of several human rights treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Syria is bound to uphold the rights of all individuals within its boundaries. Furthermore, the principle of non-refoulement in international human rights law, prohibits the return of anyone to a place where they would face a real risk of persecution, torture, or other inhumane treatment, or a threat to their lives.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Voler Türk stressed the critical nature of these realities. In his words, “The situation of these returnees raises serious questions about the commitment of States to due process and non-refoulement.”
It is expected that with recent moves towards normalization between the Syrian government and other countries in the region, the pressure on Syrian refugees to return home will likely only increase in the future.
For more detailed information on this matter, refer to the original story on JURIST.