Nicosia, Cyprus. A series of judgments by the international protection administrative court dismissing appeals by Syrian applicants has been welcomed by the legal service. The rulings clear the way for expedited returns following rejected asylum claims.
Court upholds asylum service decisions
The court dismissed multiple appeals by Syrian applicants and upheld the asylum service’s rejection decisions, along with the accompanying return orders.
The rulings mean the migration deputy ministry may now proceed directly with deportations of Syrians staying in the country without residence documents after the final rejection of their claims.
Findings on refugee law and risk assessment
The court held that the applicants no longer meet the requirements of refugee law or the Geneva convention on the status of refugees, citing developments in Syria.
It ruled that the appeals did not demonstrate persecution based on race, religion, nationality, or political opinion.
The legal service agreed with the asylum service’s assessment that the applicants would not face, “by virtue of their presence alone”, a serious and personal threat to life or physical integrity due to indiscriminate violence in their place of origin.
Idlib assessment and credibility of claims
The court described the cases as involving economic migrants or applicants whose persecution claims lacked credibility.
Referring specifically to Idlib, it said the incidents cited could not be regarded as sufficiently intense or frequent to establish conditions of indiscriminate violence linked to internal or international armed conflict, describing them as “isolated incidents”.
Evidence and broader policy context
In reviewing the evidence, the court found the asylum service relied on adequate sources on the security situation in Syria, humanitarian conditions, and support mechanisms for returnees.
The rulings come as parliament has moved to shorten deadlines for asylum appeals, a change presented by the government as part of a broader effort to accelerate removals after rejected applications.
How do you think the shortened deadlines for asylum appeals will affect applicants whose claims are rejected?