Lebanese and Cypriot authorities are collaborating to block refugees from reaching Europe and forcibly returning them to Syria, where they face grave dangers, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) released Wednesday.
The 90-page report, titled “‘I Can’t Go Home, Stay Here, or Leave’: Pushbacks and Pullbacks of Syrian Refugees from Cyprus and Lebanon,” details how Syrian refugees fleeing Lebanon in hopes of reaching Europe are intercepted at sea by the Lebanese Armed Forces and returned to Lebanon, only to be deported to Syria. Meanwhile, the Cypriot Coast Guard has reportedly been turning back boats carrying refugees, sending them back to Lebanon without evaluating their asylum claims, a violation of international law.
According to the report, many Syrians expelled by Cyprus are immediately deported to Syria upon their return to Lebanon. Human Rights Watch interviewed 16 Syrian refugees who attempted to leave Lebanon by boat between August 2021 and September 2023, corroborating their accounts with photographs, videos, and tracking data. Despite documenting such cases over two years, Lebanese authorities confirmed that expulsions continued as recently as April 2024.
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“By preventing Syrian refugees from leaving to seek protection elsewhere and forcibly returning them to Syria, Lebanon is violating the core international prohibition on returning refugees to persecution,” said Nadia Hardman, a refugee rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Cyprus is also complicit, pushing refugees back to Lebanon where they risk deportation to Syria.”
The report underscores that the European Union has provided substantial financial support to Lebanon for border management, with €16.7 million allocated between 2020 and 2023, and a broader €1 billion aid package for 2024-2027. Human Rights Watch has called on the EU to ensure that its funding does not contribute to violations of human rights, urging for better monitoring mechanisms to prevent abuses.
Refugees interviewed by Human Rights Watch shared harrowing accounts of being detained, mistreated, and forcibly returned to Syria. A 44-year-old Syrian woman described how Cypriot authorities used tasers and batons on her family before sending them back to Lebanon, where they were handed over to Syrian soldiers. Once in Syria, they were detained and subjected to extortion by armed men.
Lebanon, which hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees, continues to struggle with multiple economic and social crises. The deteriorating conditions in Lebanon, along with the lack of legal migration pathways, have driven many Syrians to seek dangerous and irregular routes to Europe.
The report highlights that Lebanon’s deportations and Cyprus’ pushbacks violate international conventions, including the UN Convention Against Torture and the European Convention on Human Rights. Both countries’ actions undermine the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the return of individuals to countries where they may face torture or persecution.
Human Rights Watch is calling on the EU to reassess its funding to Lebanon and establish independent human rights monitoring of border operations to prevent further abuses.
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.
