Human Rights Watch denounces hundreds of forced returns of Syrians by Turkey

Syrian refugees in the Ulus district of Ankara, Turkey, October 23, 2022. © Burhan Ozbilici/AP

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2 mins

The NGO denounces the expulsions of Syrians living in Turkey in a new report which casts a shadow over the generous reception of 3.7 million nationals since the start of the war.

Between February and August 2022, Human Rights Watch (HRW) collected testimonies from 37 people returned to northern Syria.

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With our correspondent in Istanbul,

Anne Andlauer

According to the Turkish Interior Ministry, 527,000 Syrian refugees have returned to their country in recent years.

At the end of its investigation, the

NGO Human Rights Watch

affirms that part of these returns were not voluntary.

“

The number of forced dismissals is increasing.

We are talking about people who have enjoyed protection in Turkey for a long time, who are integrated, who speak Turkish and who have been arrested at their workplace, on the street, at home because of a neighbor's complaint,

indicates Nadia Hardman, researcher and author of the report.

People who find themselves treated very badly in detention centers – centers that are funded by the EU – who are forced to sign voluntary return forms.

Then we send to northern Syria in buses full of other Syrians.

»

Forced returns linked to the elections, according to HRW

Asked by the NGO, the Turkish authorities denounce " 

unfounded allegations

 ".

But the NGO points to a socio-political climate that is increasingly hostile to refugees, particularly in the run-up to the June 2023 elections

. that Turkey is intransigent with regard to refugees

, explains Nadia Hardman.

In my opinion, the idea is to continue these deportations on a regular basis, while maintaining the appearance of a welcoming country with regard to refugees.

»

HRW calls on the European Union to "

recognize that Turkey is not a safe country for asylum seekers

" and to suspend its funding for migrant detention centers until forced returns stop.

►Also read: In Turkey, Syrian refugees try to form a "caravan" to reach the EU

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