Iraq – Human Rights Watch reported on Thursday that Iraqi authorities in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Area are arbitrarily arresting and deporting Syrian refugees again to their nation.
The New York-based human rights group stated that it documented circumstances by which the Iraqi authorities deported Syrians although that they had authorized residency or had been registered with the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Refugees.
Stories point out that Syrians had been arrested throughout raids on their workplaces or on the streets, and in two circumstances at residency workplaces whereas attempting to resume their permits.
In keeping with the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Refugees, Iraq hosts at the least 260,000 Syrian refugees, almost 90% of whom reside within the Kurdistan area of northern Iraq. About 60% of them stay in city areas, whereas the remaining stay in refugee camps.
Human Rights Watch spoke to seven Syrians in Erbil and Baghdad between April 19 and 26 who had been being deported, together with 4 at Erbil airport ready to be placed on a flight.
On this context, Sarah Sanbar, a researcher specializing in Iraq affairs at Human Rights Watch, stated that the group was unable to find out the full variety of deported Syrians.
The group stated that the deportations made Syrians in Iraq stay in worry.
Sarah Sanbar added, “By forcibly returning asylum seekers to Syria, Iraq is intentionally placing them at risk.”
An Iraqi authorities spokesman has not but responded to requests for remark despatched by The Related Press.
The Iraqi authorities additionally elevated the obstacles for Syrians to stay legally within the nation.
At Baghdad’s request, the Kurdistan Regional Authorities suspended the issuance of entry visas to Syrian residents, as a part of a broader effort to control overseas labor in Iraq, limiting the power of Syrians to enter the Kurdistan Area for work or asylum.
Many firms in Iraq make use of Syrian staff with out legally registering them, making them work lengthy hours for low wages.
New guidelines within the Kurdistan area of Iraq require firms to register Syrian staff and pay social safety contributions to them. Nevertheless, some firms pressure their workers to pay half of the social safety charges from their salaries.
A Syrian employee within the Kurdistan area instructed The Related Press that the charge for acquiring a one-month visa for Syrians is $150, and it may be prolonged for as much as a 12 months, on the situation that his identification be stored secret for worry of being deported.
He added that Syrians should now register with a social safety quantity that reveals that their employer is paying for them, in any other case they will be unable to resume their visas.
In Baghdad, the price of a one-year work visa, which is issued on the situation of getting a social safety quantity, is $2,000.
Host international locations that sheltered Syrian refugees are more and more urgent for his or her return to their houses, because the struggle of their nation has largely stopped, whereas the United Nations and human rights teams consider that returning to Syria continues to be unsafe.
Supply: AP
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2024-06-28 19:38:25