Syrian asylum seekers left in limbo after the home secretary said the government was pausing their claims have called the decision “cruel” and urged officials to resume processing their cases.
More than 700 refugee organisations, including Care4Calais and Refugee Action along with many UK-based Syrian groups, have expressed “deep concern and opposition” to the pause on the 6,500 claims currently in the system, the Independent has reported.
Last week, the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, told MPs: “Let’s be clear, most of the claims, many of the claims that have been made, have been made against the Assad regime for asylum, which is clearly not in place. It would therefore not be appropriate to be granting asylum decisions on those cases in the current circumstances.”
She added that the situation was “very unstable at the moment” and said the government was monitoring it.
The Guardian spoke to two Syrian asylum seekers who were dismayed by the government’s decision and fearful of finding themselves forcibly returned to Syria at a time of enormous instability. Both said that after one day of euphoria following Assad’s fall, fear set in about what would happen next in their country.
Sara (not her real name), a 27-year-old journalist, claimed asylum in the UK earlier this year after she was targeted by the Syrian regime for making critical comments about it.
“My father works for a humanitarian NGO in Syria and has seen a lot of terrible things. My country has probably experienced one of the most brutal dictatorships in the world. Now that regime has been toppled it has been replaced by a lot of uncertainty. I’m very wary of what will happen next in Syria. The situation continues to be very dangerous.”
Sara was called for her asylum interview at the Home Office’s headquarters in Croydon a couple of months ago but, after waiting for more than half an hour, was told the interview was no longer happening. It was rescheduled for a few days after the Assad regime fell and then cancelled for a second time.
Sara said: “As asylum seekers, the Home Office speaks to us in a very harsh tone. Between night and day, your life can change and suddenly be in danger. I have a good support network in the UK but the whole thing gave me a panic attack. I’m having nightmares about being sent back to Syria. The Home Office is treating us in a cruel way at a time when we are in a very vulnerable situation.
“My family in Syria are very traumatised. There is a lot of shooting in the air at the moment, which makes everyone very scared. They were driving in their car a few days ago and one of these bullets grazed their car. We are asking the government to grant us leave to remain during this very intense period so that we have some certainty and are not forced to continue to live in limbo.”
Muhamed (not his real name), 24, has been in the UK since May 2022. After a difficult journey through Europe, he crossed the Channel in a small boat and claimed asylum. His family’s house was destroyed in bombing. His sister and brother were incarcerated in one of Syria’s notorious prisons and, since the Assad regime fell, his family have been unable to locate them so do not know if they are dead or alive.
He arrived in the UK shortly after the former home secretary Priti Patel announced the Rwanda scheme, although news of this did not reach him before he claimed asylum. Muhamed was one of the asylum seekers on the list for Rwanda and spent a few weeks in a detention centre after Home Office officials told him he would be sent to the east African country.
“My asylum claim was not processed because of Rwanda. I finally did my interview with the Home Office a month ago but received no decision. Now I’m waiting again because the government has paused decisions. I have been waiting for more than two-and-a-half years.
“Syria continues to be an unsafe country for people like me. I don’t know what will happen to me tomorrow. This decision not to process our claims is an injustice.”
The Home Office has been approached for comment.
