Germany Rejects Asylum for Thousands of Syrian Refugees
Official German government figures show that in the first six months of this year, 23.2% of asylum cases reviewed resulted in the cancellation or revocation of refugee status, with Syrians making up the largest share of these decisions.
The figures were released in response to a parliamentary inquiry by the Left party parliamentary group. According to the data, out of 8,320 cases reviewed, a significant portion ended with protection status being terminated or withdrawn.
Under German law, asylum can be revoked when fundamental changes have taken place in the country of origin. Refugee status can also be withdrawn if false information provided in the case is proven.
Germany’s immigration office expanded the scope of these reviews from June last year. According to German officials, asylum seekers who have been in the country for 21 months, people who do not need special protection, and those who have a support network in Syria have been prioritised in this process.
This comes after the review of these cases was suspended for a time following the change of power in Syria. Despite the increase in reviews, forced deportations of asylum seekers are still described as rare, and their implementation depends on cooperation from Syrian authorities.
According to the report, after the first deportation case last year, only three more were recorded in the first half of this year. Clara Bunger, an expert from the Left party, criticised the forced return of asylum seekers to Syria and said that, given the instability in the country, long-term protection and residence should be provided for long-term Syrian refugees in Germany.
Germany is one of the main destinations for Syrian asylum seekers in Europe, and the issue of reviewing their protected status has repeatedly become a political and parliamentary debate in the country in recent years.
