With the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, many European Union countries have frozen Syrians’ asylum requests and are preparing plans to return refugees to their countries of origin. However, from the perspective of human rights organizations, it is too early to think that Syria has become a safe country.
We still need to protect those who have fled, and we also need to prepare for the fact that some of them may decide to flee now because of the new leadership of the country. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which overthrew Assad and seized power in Damascus, is an organization originating from Al-Qaeda, and despite promises of tolerance by its leader Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, it is not certain that the new state will be established. will make everyone truly welcome.
Maintain international protection
“It is understandable that some countries want to suspend the processing of asylum applications for now because the situation is unstable and it is difficult to make individual asylum decisions. But the conditions are still uncertain and potentially dangerous, so it is not. It is safe to send someone home at the moment. Frankly, we should let those who want to leave go , but we must maintain international protection for others. This would be a prudent response,” warns the director of Refugee and Migrant Rights. Member of Human Rights Watch.
Learning from history
In a telephone interview with Today.it from his studio in Washington, Frelick argues that history teaches that violent regime change always brings unexpected results. “Potentially, new refugees may soon leave the country. Whenever there is a regime change, some refugees return while others leave. Think of Iran, for example. During the time of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the regime was very powerful. It was oppressive, tortured people and treated them unjustly.” Later, with the fall of the regime and the revolution, there were a number of refugees who fled to the West or other countries in the region. “People, groups within the revolution itself or other political and religious groups eventually fled and became refugees themselves,” he explains. Frelick.
The HRW director continues: “We hope that tolerance and understanding will emerge after a long period of conflict and oppression,” but in his view “the international community must continue to recognize international protection for refugees, because it is too early to determine whether Syria will be a safe country.” “It is definitely too early to say, and to think about forcibly returning refugees.”
Taliban situation
Human Rights Watch has reason to be hopeful, but we should never let our guard down in situations like these. “We are certainly hopeful: we see the joy of many Syrians celebrating, those released from prisons and torture. This is something we at HRW have heard tremendous testimonies from hundreds of Syrians in recent years. I share the joy of refugees and those who celebrate, who sense that a new dawn has arrived. “At the same time, no matter which party controls the government, we must remain vigilant and continue to monitor respect for human rights.”
History teaches us a lesson here too. When the Taliban came back to power in Afghanistan, they promised greater tolerance and openness, but the facts proved they were lying, especially when it came to women’s rights. HTS leader Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani has promised tolerance and inclusiveness in the new Syria, but it is too early to tell whether the words will be followed by actions. “As Human Rights Watch, unfortunately, we know very well how words work, and we know that there are those who keep these promises and those who do not. In the Syrian case, everything will be seen. We will follow the situation very closely, as we always do, one way or another, without any bias or prejudice,” Frelick concludes.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
