HRW: Unlawful deportations of Syrians from Iraq, S. Kurdistan
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report that Iraqi authorities in Baghdad and Hewler have arbitrarily detained and deported Syrians to Damascus and to parts of NE Syria under the control of the Democratic Autonomous Administration, it added that "Syria remains unfit for safe and dignified refugee returns”
HRW made the point clear that Iraqi authorities have deported some Syrians even though they possessed official Iraqi documents, enabling them to stay and work in the country or were registered as asylum seekers with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
"Iraq hosts approximately 280,000 Syrians, with the vast majority of them in the Southern Kurdistan While parts of Syria have not had active conflict hostilities since 2018,Syria remains unfit for safe and dignified refugee returns" HRW's report added.
The report pointed out that deporting asylum seekers breaches Iraq’s obligations as a party to the UN Convention Against Torture (CAT) and under the customary international law principle of nonrefoulment, that is, not to forcibly return people to countries where they face a clear risk of torture or other persecution.
The report added, "In August 2023, the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq banned the deportation of any Syrian refugee from Iraq. Nevertheless, on March 18, 2024, Iraqi authorities launched a campaign targeting foreigners who violate residency rules, resulting in the detention and deportation of many Syrians after raids on their homes and workplaces. And on April 3, 2024, Southern Kurdistan suspended visa issuance for Syrians."
The Iraqi Ministry of Interior did not respond to Human Rights Watch’s multiple requests for comment.
The report concluded by saying "Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Turkey have been increasingly facing the threat of summary deportation. Iraq should immediately end its distressing campaign of arbitrary arrests and deportations of Syrians"
On April 17, the Media Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria published an explanation about the beginning of the arrival of Syrians deported from Iraq, according to a decision issued by the Iraqi government.
ANHA
