Germany, France, Austria, and several Nordic countries in Europe stated on Monday, December 9, 2024, that they will freeze all pending asylum requests from Syrians, a day after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad.
As reported by Al Arabiya, while Berlin and other governments stated that they are closely monitoring the rapid developments in the war-torn country, Vienna indicated it would soon deport refugees back to Syria.
Far-right politicians in other countries also made similar demands, including in Germany.
Alice Weidel from the anti-immigration group Alternative for Germany reacted to Sunday’s massive rallies by Syrian citizens celebrating Assad’s fall.
“Anyone in Germany who celebrates ‘free Syria’ evidently no longer has any reason to flee,” she wrote on X. “They should return to Syria immediately.”
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said many Syrian refugees “now finally have hope of returning to their Syrian homeland” but cautioned that “the situation in Syria is currently very unclear.”
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees had imposed a freeze on decisions for ongoing asylum procedures “until the situation is clearer.”
She added that “concrete possibilities of return cannot yet be predicted and it would be unprofessional to speculate in such a volatile situation.”
Rights group Amnesty International slammed the freeze on asylum decisions, stressing that for now “the human rights situation in the country is completely unclear.”
The French Interior Ministry announced that they too will postpone asylum requests from Syrian citizens.
Britain temporarily stopped decisions on Syrian asylum requests, said a government spokesperson after opposition forces seized control of the capital, Damascus, over the weekend.
Britain’s decision came after Germany, Austria, and other European countries ordered a halt to Syrian asylum requests following President Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Russia after 13 years of civil war.
The war has forced millions of Syrians to flee their country.
Over 800,000 people with Syrian citizenship live in Germany, with the majority having come as refugees following former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision in 2015 to allow over a million asylum seekers to enter Germany.
Syria was the top country of origin for asylum seekers in Germany this year, with 72,420 asylum applications submitted by the end of November, BAMF data shows. Some 47,270 asylum applications from Syrians remain undecided.
In the UK, by the end of February 2021, over 20,000 Syrian refugees had been resettled under the government scheme, according to the Refugee Council.
‘Repatriation and Deportation’
In Austria, home to around 100,000 Syrian citizens, conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer instructed the Interior Ministry “to suspend all ongoing Syrian asylum applications and review all asylum grants.”
Denmark, Sweden, and Norway also announced on Monday that they are suspending the examination of asylum applications from Syrian refugees.
The leader of the far-right Sweden Democrats, a coalition partner in the government, said residence permits for Syrian refugees should now be “reviewed.”
“Destructive Islamist forces are behind the change of power” in Syria, wrote their leader Jimmie Akesson on X.
“I see that groups are happy about this development here in Sweden. You should see it as a good opportunity to go home.”
In Greece, a government spokesperson expressed hope that Assad’s fall would ultimately enable the “safe return of Syrian refugees” to their home country, but without announcing concrete steps.
U.N. Refugee Chief Urges Patience
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi called for patience as millions of Syrian refugees displaced by the 13-year civil war weigh a possible return to the country.
“There is a remarkable opportunity for Syria to move toward peace and for its people to begin returning home,” he said in a statement sent to journalists on Monday, as quoted from Reuters.
“But with the situation still uncertain, millions of refugees are carefully assessing how safe it is to do so. Some are eager, while others are hesitant.” He called for “patience and vigilance” as refugees weigh their options.
The likelihood of returns is likely to depend on whether Syrian’s new leaders prioritize law and order, he said. “A transition that respects the rights, lives, and aspirations of all Syrians – regardless of ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs – is crucial for people to feel safe.” UNHCR stood ready to help states organize voluntary returns, Grandi added.
