New briefing - ‘Syrian refugees and the fall of Assad’ - calls for a speedy resumption to decision-making and for the future of the Syrian people to be prioritised over any short-sighted ambition to return refugees

‘Historic as it is, the fall of Assad’s brutal regime provides no guarantee of safety whatsoever in what remains a complicated and volatile situation in Syria’ - Steve Valdez-Symonds

Responding to the Government’s decision this week to suspend the asylum applications of Syrian nationals following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Director, said:

“The Government has rightly committed to ending the asylum limbo imposed by the previous government, and its decision to now plunge thousands of Syrians into renewed uncertainty is deeply worrying.

“Historic as it is, the fall of Assad’s brutal regime provides no guarantee of safety whatsoever in what remains a complicated and volatile situation in Syria.

“The Government’s priority should be respect for human rights and supporting Syria’s recovery from a brutal and repressive regime and a long and devastating conflict which could be put in serious jeopardy if countries enter or encourage a reckless race to return refugees.

“We strongly urge the Government to make clear that Syrians will not be expected to return to Syria in the foreseeable future and encourage other countries to adopt the same position.

“If Syrians wish to return to the country, then the Government should support this, yet do so on the basis that the door remains open in the immediate term to their coming back to the UK.”

New briefing

Amnesty has published a briefing - ‘Syrian refugees and the fall of Assad’ - on the suspension of asylum decision-making in the UK, setting out wider considerations concerning Syrian refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK. If the Government’s suspension of asylum decision-making is a short-term exercise to review and revise its guidance to decision-makers, then - insisted Amnesty - decision-making must be quickly resumed. Amnesty’s briefing emphasises that people’s individual circumstances need careful consideration. Nonetheless, there are wider reasons for refraining from returning anyone at this time beyond the present unstable and uncertain situation and the individual risks than many people may face.

The briefing makes several key points, including:

• Amnesty’s firm opposition to the suspension of the UK’s asylum decision-making process for Syrian nationals
• Considerations and Amnesty’s position on whether it is safe, sustainable and reasonable to expect people to return to Syria at this time
• A need to consider the differing circumstances of various Syrian nationals
• The need to enable people who wish to return at this time to do so safe in the knowledge that they come back to the UK

You can find the briefing ‘Syrian refugees and the fall of Assad’ here.