Western media sites revealed that the French authorities are seeking to extradite a Syrian refugee to the Syrian regime and are currently making contacts to return him to Damascus. This comes despite the great danger that this step could cause and the young man’s refusal to return. He stressed that he preferred to stay in prison for life in Paris than return to his country.
According to what was published by the French website (Mediapart), the young man is called Majed, aged 22, as he came about two months ago to France on October 5 from Aleppo. He was placed in one of the detention centers set up by the French police for foreigners in preparation for their expulsion.
Majed is being held near Charles de Gaulle airport after being arrested in Paris during the dismantling of a refugee camp. The relevant authorities are in contact with the Assad regime to return him despite the fact that diplomatic relations with Assad have long been severed following the French court’s decision to give the green light to expel him.
He pointed out that the French Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, confirmed in a previous statement that the Syrian and Afghan refugees, despite the issuance of a mandatory document for their right to leave French territory, cannot be expelled due to the situation in their country.
Paris issued documents to 47 people. However, 27 people who did not have documents, including Majed, were placed in a detention center in preparation for deportation. They attributed the reason to the fact that the young Syrian disrespected a police officer, according to the report that was written against him.
He added that the French authorities have been in contact with the government of the Syrian regime since October, two days after the arrest of the young Majed. The judge heard his statements as he confirmed the continuation of his detention with the aim of deporting him to his country of origin.
But a month later, specifically on the fourth of November, another judge extended Majed’s detention period. He stressed that the Assad regime – which he described by France’s representative to the United Nations as a “war crimes perpetrator” – was contacted with the aim of deporting him to Damascus. However, Damascus refused to issue a permit for the young man at the present time because he was unable to present his passport.
Objection and humanitarian issues
The young Syrian filed a case before the administrative court, but the judge confirmed during the public hearing that Majed could be extradited to Syria.
Lawyer Lucy Simon, who represents the young Syrian, stated that it is clear, according to this judge, that there is no generalized violence in Syria and there is no risk for Majed to be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment, which completely contradicts what international reports say about the situation in Syria.
According to human rights organizations, ten Syrians have been placed in a detention center in France since the beginning of 2022. Contacts have been made with the Assad regime regarding five of them with the aim of returning them to Damascus. They expressed shock that the French office responsible for granting or not granting refugee status no longer accepts asylum applications from Syrians systematically.
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.
