DISINFO: Western sanctions prevent the return of Syrian refugees
SUMMARY
Most of the refugees want to return to Syria, and the biggest obstacle to their return is the Western blockade imposed on Syria.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Syrian war and belligerent intentions of the West against Syria. The claim was neither critically challenged not counterbalanced in the article.
Within the context of the Syrian conflict, EU sanctions, imposed since 9 May 2011, respond to the repression perpetrated on the Syrian people by the Syrian regime and its supporters, including through the use of live ammunition against peaceful protesters and the regime’s involvement in the proliferation and use of chemical weapons. EU sanctions against the regime were extended in May 2020 for one year, and in October 2020, new seven individual ministers were added to the list.
The goal of these measures is not to destroy Syria or wage an economic war, but to put pressure on the Syrian regime to halt its repression and negotiate a lasting political settlement of the Syrian crisis in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 under UN auspices. They are part and parcel of the EU’s wider approach to the Syria crisis, as outlined in the EU strategy on Syria.
EU sanctions are designed in a way that only targets the specific individuals and entities on the sanctions list, avoiding negative impacts on the population. They comply with all obligations under international law, in particular international refugee law, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law.
As for the return of Syrian refugess, UNHCR states that the conditions for a safe, voluntary and dignified return – as per international law - are not currently met. Eight years after the outbreak of the conflict, the situation in Syria is still critical, with millions of Syrians displaced and in need of protection and humanitarian assistance. The potential for violence remains high. The recent creation of the Constitutional Committee is a positive step but much remains to be done towards a sustainable resolution of the conflict.
Several media and civil society organisations documented cases of Syrian refugees returning to their country only to be arrested, forced into conscription in the army, and harassed by security forces. A June 2019 survey of returnees reported that 75% of them had experienced arrest and harassment at government checkpoints, registry offices, and in the street; as well as being drafted for compulsory military conscription despite promises of exemption. From the beginning of October until mid-November 2018, the Syrian authorities arrested 700 Syrians returning to government-controlled areas, and it is reported that 200 still remain in custody.
Surveys of refugees conducted on the ground by the UNHCR reveal that most of refugees aspire to go home to Syria one day, in a longer term. But for now, the obstacles are the safety and security, as well as lack of adequate housing, concerns over property, scarcity of livelihood opportunities in Syria, not anywhere else.
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