Asylum procedure for Syrians in Austria: What does the overthrow mean for the future?

Asylum procedure for Syrians in Austria: What does the overthrow mean for the future?

After the surprising fall of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad On December 10, 2024, the asylum procedures for Syrian refugees in Austria changed dramatically. The Ministry of the Interior has decided to suspend all of Syrians ongoing asylum procedures, which concerns around 7,300 open cases. This decision is made in Vienna at a moment when many Syrian citizens who fled from the brutal regime. But the question remains: will you now have to return to your home? As Kurier is now busy analyzing the current political situation in Syria and the future asylum cases new evaluate.

Diakonie director Maria Katharina Moser was concerned about the quick decision of the government and emphasized that the asylum law assessment in the present context was very complex. It is impossible to assess the situation immediately, since the winners and losers in such a dynamic environment often remain uncertain. The crucial point is that refugee law only grants current protection and does not compensate for suffering already suffered, such as OTS . In addition, it is underlined that a right of return can only be considered if the conditions in Syria enable a safe return, and this also applies to those who already have asylum status.

consequences for protection status

Another aspect is that the changes in Syria can potentially also affect existing asylum permissions. Asylum law expert Lukas Gahleitner-Gertz explains that the reasons for escape could be omitted if the political conditions in the country of origin improve in the long term. In this case, the disclosure procedure against entitlements of asylum would be initiated. Around 95,000 Syrians currently live in Austria, although most have a positive asylum status, which is often due to the threat of persecution by the Assad regime. If the protection status does not apply, this could lead to deportations, but Gahleitner-Gertz indicates that in reality there may hardly be any noteworthy deportations, since the security situation in Syria remains uncertain.