Jimmie Åkesson has suggested it’s time for Syrians in Sweden to return home, but the Council of Europe has just put a major roadblock in that plan.
According to the Council, Sweden, along with other member states, cannot send Syrians back to their home country if they face a “risk of injury.”
Michael O’Flaherty, the Human Rights Commissioner at the Council of Europe, clarified that the principle of “non-refoulement” strictly prohibits the forced expulsion of individuals into dangerous conditions. “No individual should be sent back to a situation where they are at real risk of injury,” O’Flaherty stated. He emphasized that any decision regarding the return of Syrian refugees must be based on careful, evidence-driven assessments of the situation in Syria.
While several European countries had previously paused Syrian asylum applications and indicated they might send back protected Syrians, O’Flaherty warned that this violates international conventions. He added that asylum status cannot be revoked unless “fundamental and lasting” changes have occurred in Syria, and underscored that decisions on refugee status should be based on an honest evaluation of the risks to human rights.
Moreover, for Syrians who wish to return voluntarily, the Council insists that member states must provide full and accurate information about the situation in Syria. O’Flaherty made it clear that any “legal or material pressure” to encourage voluntary return is forbidden.
In light of potential instability, European countries must also prepare for the possibility of more Syrians seeking asylum in the future, should the conditions in Syria deteriorate again. The Council pledged to monitor the situation closely and intervene if any member state violates these principles.
As part of the European Convention and the EU, Sweden is bound by strict regulations that effectively prevent mass returns.
