The UK, along with ten other European nations, has hastily declared plans to suspend decision-making in Syrian asylum cases following the removal of President Bashar al-Assad. Despite the ongoing instability in Syria, a UK Home Office spokesperson said it had “temporarily paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims whilst we assess the current situation”.
At a press briefing on 10 December Shabia Mantoo, Global Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), spoke of those forced to flee the country’s 13-year war: “They are considering how safe Syria is to return to, and how far their rights will be respected before they can make an informed, voluntary decision to return home; they must be given the space to do so without any pressure”.
At present, dependable insights into Syria's security landscape are scarce and the UK government is in no position to assume the safety of individuals in such a volatile and developing situation. Ambiguity surrounds which factions hold power in different areas and how they intend to manage the territories under their control. Meanwhile, military actions by Israel, the United States, and Turkey, as well as ongoing conflicts involving armed groups, continue to place civilians at significant risk.
UNA-UK Head of Campaigns Sophie Radice said:
The government’s hasty decision is dangerous and short-sighted. There must be a commitment to evaluating the unique circumstances of each individual seeking asylum and promptly overturn measures that pause applications, limit family reunifications, or push for the repatriation of Syrians. The reasons for Syrian nationals claiming asylum in the UK are complex and multi-faceted.
UNA-UK calls for the UK government to heed the legal frameworks and principles safeguarding refugees and to ensure the continuation of processing of asylum requests is swift and just.
Picture: The UK Home Office. Credit: Gov.uk
