The head of the Syrian Center for Political and Strategic Studies, the lawyer Anwar al-Bunni, said on Tuesday that any operation to expel Syrians from Turkey to Syria would be considered a violation of international laws and Geneva conventions, and that if they commit any violations or crimes they should be punished under Turkish law.
Bunni told Smart that no refugee could be returned to a war zone or an unsafe area, adding that if a refugee violates the laws of the country where they are residing, they should be subject to punishment in accordance with the laws of this country, adding that this does not include returning them to their country or any unsafe area.
Bunni added that appeals to these sorts of decisions could be done by filing lawsuits with the Turkish judiciary, in accordance with international agreements, to which Turkey is committed.
Bunni’s statement comes after a decision from the Turkish Interior Minister, Suleiman Soylu, made to a group of Syrian journalists in Istanbul in which he said that everyone living in Istanbul without a residency document or temporary protection card would be expelled from the country, while those living in Istanbul who are registered in another state would be expelled to that state.
Soylu said that there would be a major tightening of punishments, expulsion and a strict application of the laws against those who have committed crimes, while policies would be changed for issuing short-term residency and renewals, so that work would be done to expel every person not registered with the Turkish government, whether Syrian or non-Syrian, adding that they would prevent movement between Turkish provinces.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
