In June 2014, EuroMed Rights (EMHRN) published a Position Paper on refugees from Syria. A year later, the situation has dramatically worsened with almost 12 million people displaced, 4 million of whom outside of Syria. Refugees from Syria seek refuge anywhere they can, fleeing a war entering its fifth year with no resolution in sight. Countries like Morocco and even Portugal have received an increased number of families from Syria.
Over the past year, EuroMed Rights, its member and partners organisations have reported many cases of human rights violations against refugees from Syria in the whole Euro-Mediterranean region: arbitrary detentions in the Mashreq, pushbacks at the Greek/Turkish/Bulgarian border, refugees going on hunger strike to denounce their unlawful detention in Egypt or challenging the denial of protection in Cyprus. This is not to mention the almost 8 million internally displaced persons inside Syria, including the tragic situation of Palestinian refugees who have been besieged for over two years in inhumane conditions in Al Yarmouk camp.
Over the past year, EuroMed Rights has sustained its advocacy efforts together with partner organisations, calling in a joint brief paper the resettlement of at least 180,000 refugees from Syria by the end of 2015, and for increased humanitarian support for Syria’s neighbouring countries.
The Network has also voiced its concerns at the new Danish law on international protection potentially limiting access to family reunification for refugees from Syria and other refugee communities. Based on its membership in countries mostly affected by the crisis in the Mashreq but also in Europe, EuroMed Rights draws attention on the large-scale human rights violations against refugees from Syria, including in first reception countries. It urges the EU and its member states to urgently show greater solidarity with refugees from Syria and puts forward concrete demands for Europe to meet its legal, but also moral, obligation to provide access to its territory and protection to refugees from Syria.
Read the full Position Paper here