Syria Remains Unsafe for Refugee Returns, European Concerns Grow
Despite shifting policies in some European Union member states, the consensus among international bodies and recent assessments indicates that Syria is not currently safe for the large-scale return of refugees and asylum seekers. This assessment, consistently highlighted since at least September 2023, comes as some EU nations explore options for repatriation, driven by concerns over integration and security.
Recent reports from Human Rights Watch, as far back as 2023, document ongoing patterns of abuse against returning refugees, including arbitrary detention, kidnapping, torture, and killing by Syrian security agencies. These abuses continued even between 2017 and 2021, and there is no indication of cessation. As recently as July 2023, Human Rights Watch found evidence of torture in Syrian military intelligence custody and forced conscription into the Syrian military reserve for returnees.
The change in Syrian leadership in December 2024, with the fall of Bashar Al-Assad and the rise of Ahmad Al-Sharaa as the de facto leader, has not altered the fundamental risks for returnees. While the UK government published a country policy and information note in July 2025 assessing the situation following Al-Assad’s fall, previous assessments – dating back to 2012 – highlighted the risk of arrest, detention, and mistreatment for those perceived to oppose the regime. The current assessment suggests that opponents of the former Al-Assad regime are unlikely to be at risk solely on that basis, but does not negate the broader security concerns.
The European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA) has noted a decrease in generalized violence in areas of Syria controlled by the government, including Damascus. However, the agency acknowledges that individuals returned to Damascus could still face persecution, and that returns would only be reasonable in “exceptional cases.” The absence of widespread violence does not equate to overall safety, a point emphasized by multiple sources.
Several EU member states, including Greece and Cyprus, have begun to shift their policies, ending blanket protection for Syrian asylum seekers and initiating measures to expedite asylum processing. Some countries, like Germany and the Netherlands, have even offered financial incentives – ranging from €900 to €1,700 – to encourage Syrians to voluntarily return and abandon their asylum claims. These measures are being implemented despite warnings from organizations like Human Rights Watch and the UN Refugee Agency.
Cyprus, in particular, has voiced frustration with the inability to return asylum seekers to Syria, with its Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou calling for a reevaluation of the situation by the EU. Simultaneously, Cyprus is taking steps to make the country less attractive to asylum seekers, including reducing financial support and constructing a migrant detention center.
The UN Refugee Agency maintains that conditions in Syria currently prevent it from promoting or facilitating refugee returns. This position is echoed by organizations like VluchtelingenWerk, which is advocating for better protection for Syrian minorities, citing ongoing safety concerns. The EU, while acknowledging the UNHCR’s assessment, is facing increasing pressure to address the refugee situation and explore return options.
Despite the evolving political landscape and policy shifts, the fundamental concerns regarding safety, infrastructure, and human rights violations remain. Syria’s devastated infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle a large influx of returnees, potentially exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis. For now, the prevailing assessment is that returns to Syria would not be safe or dignified.
