Cypriot authorities have repatriated more than 100 Syrians to Lebanon without ascertaining whether they require legal protection or could be deported to their homeland.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Cyprus told the Associated Press that “transfers and deportations between countries without legal and procedural guarantees for individuals who might need international protection are inconsistent with international and European law.”
The office further highlighted that such transfer operations might lead to returning individuals to countries where they could face various risks.
Liza Abu Khaled, spokesperson for the UNHCR office in Lebanon, stated that “of the 109 migrants returned from Cyprus, most were deported to Syria after being investigated by the Lebanese army.”
The 109 migrants had arrived in Cyprus on three separate boats from July 29 to August 2 before being returned on a boat under the supervision of Cypriot police.
The Cypriot government asserted that these repatriations were legally conducted in line with the bilateral agreement signed between Nicosia and Lebanon in 2004.
Senior official at the Cypriot Ministry of Interior, Louizos Hadjivasiliou, confirmed that the agreement obligates Beirut to prevent and halt illegal border crossings and unauthorized migration of individuals leaving Lebanon.
Hadjivasiliou stated that these individuals were returned to Lebanon, which is deemed safe and where they enjoy benefits afforded to hundreds of thousands of refugees in the country. He added, “Under these circumstances, we believe they face no danger, and their choice to sail towards an EU member state is clearly for economic reasons.”
Hadjivasiliou further noted that “Cyprus is in no way involved in returning migrants to their home countries and never refuses assistance in search and rescue operations prioritizing human lives.”
It’s noteworthy that Cypriot Interior Minister, Konstantinos Ioannou, had traveled to Lebanon last month to conduct discussions with the Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, and other senior officials to ensure the bilateral agreement remains effective and to bolster cooperation on curbing migrant arrivals
