Rejected Syrians: Violations of the Principle of “Non-Refoulement” in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon

Abstract

Rejected Syrians: Violations of the Principle of "Non-Refoulement" in Turkey, Jordan and LebanonThe article analyses the practices used by Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon to prevent Syrians from exercising their right to seek and enjoy asylum. The article consists of two sections. The first section examines how all three host countries violated the principle of non-refoulement by employing a range of unlawful practices (e.g. border closures and "pushbacks", arbitrary detentions and deportations etc.). The second section examines how Lebanon resorted to practices that created circumstances for constructive refoulement of Syrian asylum seekers and refugees (e.g. shutting down the authority responsible for processing asylum claims, stripping Syrian refugees of their protected status etc.). IZVLEČEK Zavrnjeni Sirci: Kršitve načela nevračanja v Turčiji, Libanonu in JordanijiČlanek analizira prakse, ki so jih Turčija, Jordanija in Libanon uporabili z namenom, da sirskim državljanom preprečijo uveljavljanje pravice do iskanja in uživanja pribežališča pred preganjanjem. Članek je sestavljen iz dveh delov. Prvi del analizira, kako so vse tri države gostiteljice z uporabo nezakonitih praks kršile načelo nevračanja (npr. zapiranje meja in preprečevanje prehoda, samovoljno zapiranje in deportiranje itd.). Drugi del članka analizira, kako je Libanon uporabil prakse, ki so ustvarile pogoje za posredno prisilno vračanje sirskih iskalcev azila in beguncev (npr. zaprtje edine institucije, pristojne za obravnavanje prošenj za azil, odvzem statusa nekaterim sirskim beguncem itd.).

The Border Harms of Human Displacement: Harsh Landscapes and Human Rights Violations

“…During the early years of the civil conflict, the nearby host countries of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey opened their borders to displaced people from Syria and often provided them with limited protection and access to basic services (Can 2017;Badalic 2019;Ineli-Ciger 2017). For example, many Syrians first entered Egypt as tourists without the intention of staying for long periods of time (DW 2019).…”

“…In mid-2013, Jordan closed all its informal western border crossings, where most entries occurred, from the Dara'a governorate, to all Syrians except the war-wounded (HRW 2015). In October 2014, Lebanese authorities began to limit Syrian entries and "encourage" Syrian refugees to return home ( Badalic 2019;Janmyr 2016). As mentioned earlier, starting in early 2016, Turkey repeatedly closed its border between Turkey and Syria to displaced people from Syria.…”

“…The hardening of borders causes harm. Many displaced people confronting it have endured much hardship and violence (see, e.g., Badalic 2019;Davies et al 2017;Squire 2020). Indeed, often such bordering practices compel alternative and precarious routes, which can expose them to harsh environments, exhaustion, and other forms of spatial violence.…”