Vienna [Austria], December 11: The UN Refugee Agency has warned against the deportation of Syrian refugees, given the unstable situation in the country.
"No asylum seeker should be forcibly returned," spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo said at a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday. Several European countries have suspended decisions on asylum applications by Syrians following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
Mantoo said authorities should continue to grant these individuals the same rights as other asylum seekers.
She said it must remain possible for Syrians to apply for asylum in other countries and that these applications must be examined individually.
This is because the dynamics of displacement in Syria have not yet ended, despite the ouster of the long-time leader, she said. According to UN figures, more than 1 million people have been internally displaced in Syria since the end of November alone. Many people who left Syria are weighing up the possibility of returning, Mantoo said, but warned that any decisions on deportations should be postponed until the situation in Syria allows the voluntary, safe and dignified return of refugees.
Source: Qatar Tribune
