Coordinator of the Refugees and Displaced Persons Working Group in the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Ahmad Baccora, has expressed deep concern regarding the calls for forced repatriation and discrimination faced by Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Cyprus, and Iraq. He called upon the relevant governments and the international community to intervene immediately to ensure the protection of refugees.
Baccora emphasized in a press statement that the efforts of Lebanon and Cyprus to halt asylum requests and designate areas in Syria as “safe” are cause for serious concern. He stressed that “safety” is not merely a political term but rather a set of standard conditions describing an environment that does not currently apply to the situation in Syria. This, he added, contradicts international norms guaranteeing the voluntary and safe return of refugees.
Highlighting the murder of Syrian refugee Walid Ali Abdel Baqi in Lebanon, Baccora underscored the grave dangers facing refugees. Abdel Baqi died due to medical negligence following a brutal assault, reflecting the urgent need for a review and enhancement of refugee protection measures.
Baccora noted similar risks facing refugees in Iraq, where they are threatened with deportation under hazardous conditions jeopardizing their personal safety.
He urged governments and international organizations to ensure the protection of refugees and uphold their rights in accordance with international law. Baccora reiterated the SOC’s support for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ assertion of refugees’ right to voluntary return “whenever they choose to do so,” emphasizing that such returns must be based on the refugees’ own decisions and conducted in conditions ensuring their safety and dignity.
Baccora called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in protecting refugees and facilitating their voluntary and safe return. He stressed the imperative of respecting international law and human rights and working towards the implementation of UN Resolution 2254 to achieve a political transition in Syria.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
