Syrian refugees stranded in Algeria on Tuesday appealed to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to grant them visas for their journey back to northern and eastern Syria through the region.
According to a refugee, 19 migrants from northern and eastern Syria had their boat disabled at sea off Algeria’s coast while attempting to reach Europe. They were subsequently detained by Algerian authorities, who instructed them to seek financial assistance from their families to facilitate deportation to Lebanon. The refugees are reluctant to be handed over to the Assad regime’s government, particularly as many lack official documentation. Algeria and Libya have become transit points for Syrian refugees, especially from northeastern Syria, seeking passage to Europe via Italy.
On June 19th, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) cautioned against the deportation of Syrian journalists from Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey to areas controlled by the Assad regime. In a joint statement, they highlighted the dangers faced by Syrian refugee journalists, who risk imprisonment or worse upon their return to Syria, a country ranked second to last on the World Press Freedom Index.
“As diplomatic relations between President Bashar al-Assad and neighbouring leaders improve, Syrian refugee journalists in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey fear deportation to Syria,” RSF and SCM noted in their statement. They criticized neighboring countries for justifying deportations under the guise of “voluntary return” to “safe areas,” stressing the absence of protections for Syrian journalists facing arrest warrants in Syria.
Jonathan Dag, RSF’s Middle East bureau chief, underscored the pervasive fear among Syrian journalists in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey of arrest and deportation, with potential consequences including imprisonment or death upon return to Syria.
Reporters Without Borders had previously ranked Syria 179th out of 180 countries in the 2024 Press Freedom Index, emphasizing the severe constraints on media freedom in the country.
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.
