DISINFO: Double European standards: EU countries denied asylum to Syrian refugees
SUMMARY
Several European countries have suspended asylum applications from Syrian refugees citing that, with the reduced instability of Bashar al-Assad's regime, "grounds for asylum no longer apply." However, this overlooks the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe faced by the Syrian people. Syrians fleeing violence encounter increasing obstacles to a safe future, while Ukrainians, displaced by war receive a warm welcome and temporary protection or asylum in most European countries. Syrians are frequently met with rejection and denied even the basic right to safety. This disparity in treatment has sparked concerns about double standards in how European states handle refugee policies.
RESPONSE
This claim was made in the context of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham's (HTS) capture of key Syrian cities which lead to the final collapse of Al-Assad’s regime on 08 December 2024.
The conflict in Syria, and the suffering it is causing the Syrian people, is the world's largest humanitarian disaster and refugee crisis, with no parallel in recent history. Since the start of the crisis in 2011, the EU and its member states have mobilised more than €33.3 billion to support Syrians, remaining the largest provider of international aid and delivering humanitarian, stabilisation and resilience assistance inside Syria and in neighbouring countries. There are around 7.2 millions of Syrians internally displaced and 4.9 millions of registered Syrians refugees in the region.
The fall of Assad’s criminal regime marks a historic moment for the Syrian people. The EU urges all actors to support an “inclusive Syrian-led and Syrian-owned dialogue” on all key issues to ensure an orderly, peaceful and inclusive transition.
Since the crisis began in 2011, significant attention has been given to the millions of Syrians seeking protection in Europe. Amid the collapse of the al-Assad regime, several EU member states (MS) announced that they would pause the processing of asylum applications lodged by Syrians, invoking Article 31(4) of the Asylum Procedures Directive (APD) which allows MS to “postpone concluding the examination procedure (…) due to an uncertain situation in the country of origin which is expected to be temporary”. The same article requires a review of the country’s situation “at least every six months” and mandates that applicants be informed of the reasons for the delay “within a reasonable time.”
The majority of Syrians who fled the war and sought asylum in the EU were granted either refugee status or subsidiary protection and allowed to remain inside the EU for an indefinite time. Due to the brutal nature of the conflict, Syrians were protected by the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits authorities from deporting migrants to countries where they could face persecution, torture or any other ill-treatment.
Shabia Mantoo, Global Spokesperson for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, stated at the regular UN Press Briefing in Geneva on 10 December 2024 that:
'UNHCR takes note of the decision by a number of States who have suspended asylum decision-making on Syrian claims for international protection, until such time as the situation in the country has stabilized and reliable information about the security and human rights situation is available to assess the international protection needs of individual applicants.
Syrian asylum-seekers who are waiting for a resumption of decision-making on their claims should continue to be granted the same rights as all other asylum-seekers, including in terms of reception conditions. No asylum-seeker should be forcibly returned, as this would violate the non-refoulement obligation on States'.
In a speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament Plenary in preparation of the European Council meeting of 19 December 2024, it was stated:
'Finally, on refugees. The fall of the regime has given hope to so many Syrian refugees. A significant number of them have already started going back to Syria. But UN agencies tell us that risks remain for both individuals and ethnic groups. So while all refugees have the right to return, this has to be voluntary, safe and dignified. For Syrians who decide to go home, Europe is ready to support them every step of the way. Syria belongs to all its people, including those who fled from Assad's brutality. And all Syrians have the right to take the country's future into their hands'.
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