Between Syria, the country they fled in the midst of the war in 2013, Lebanon, where they lived for ten years, and Cyprus, which they tried to reach to escape an increasingly precarious situation in the country of Cèdre, before being returned to Lebanon and then expelled to Syria, the story of Nawal, her husband and their five children illustrates the increasingly repressive policies implemented against Syrian refugees on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea.
In a report published on Wednesday, September 4, the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented the case of 16 Syrian refugees and asylum seekers, who tried to leave Lebanon illegally by sea between August 2021 and September 2023, and were subject to refoulement and returns orders by the authorities of Cyprus and Lebanon, some even as far as Syria, in violation of international and, in particular, European conventions.
No justification was given for the refusal to grant them international protection. Some refugees have been victims of abuses by the Lebanese or Cypriot authorities, including arbitrary arrests, excessive use of force and confiscation of identity documents and telephones. “Our report is based on confirmed cases through 2023, but we know this continues today.”notes Nadia Hardman, one of the report’s editors.
HRW takes responsibility for Lebanon, Cyprus and the European Union (EU), which are pursuing a policy of curbing migration flows. Between 2020 and 2023, the EU and European countries have funded, to the tune of 16.7 million euros, programmes to train and equip Lebanese security forces, in order to improve border management and prevent illegal immigration. In May, the European Commission announced new financial aid of one billion euros to Lebanon over four years, part of which is intended to continue these programmes.
Background of anti-Syrian resentment
“The EU and donor states have failed to effectively ensure that this funding does not contribute to human rights violations, in particular by establishing concrete evaluation mechanisms and financing conditionality measures on respect for human rights. »laments Ramzi Kaiss, HRW researcher for the Middle East and North Africa.
Regarding the situation between Cyprus and Lebanon, the European Commission assures “Follow the issue closely, as does UNHCR. [le Haut-Commissariat des Nations unies pour les réfugiés] » and considers that it should be taken very seriously “accusations of irregularities”. However, regarding the withdrawals or expulsions ordered by Cyprus towards Lebanon, he assures that“It is the responsibility of Member States to fully and independently investigate any allegations of violations of fundamental rights and to prosecute any wrongdoing. established “. According to her, “All EU Member States must fully respect their obligations under asylum and international law, in particular by ensuring access to the asylum procedure.”
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