UNFICYP on Thursday reiterated its call to the Republic of Cyprus to grant access to asylum procedures to 31 migrants stranded in the buffer zone in Nicosia, during a heatwave.
In response to rising migrant arrivals, Cyprus has suspended the processing of asylum applications from Syrian nationals and called on the EU to classify Syria as a safe country of origin.
In a statement, the UN’s peacekeeping force in Cyprus said that although it understands the government’s concerns about irregular crossings of the buffer zone, it must give unhindered access to asylum procedures as provided under National, European, and international refugee law.
“We are raising our concerns with the Republic of Cyprus to address the growing humanitarian situation we are facing inside the UN buffer zone,” it said.
The force added that it is providing immediate humanitarian assistance including food, water, shelter, and emergency medical assistance to the most vulnerable people including many women and children, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Yesterday, UNHCR issued a statement to express concern for the safety and well-being of the asylum seekers, among them seven children, who are trapped in the buffer zone.
Furthermore, it accused police of pushing back to the buffer zone five people who entered the Pournara reception centre to apply for asylum.
UNHCR added that “at least two of these people, including an unaccompanied child from Syria, are now missing, while others are in need of medical and psychological attention.”
It noted that the Republic of Cyprus offers emergency medical care at the state hospital, however, after treatment, the asylum seekers are returned by the police to the buffer zone.
This incident, UNHCR, “comes amidst a spate of actions which are effectively shrinking the protection space of Cyprus. This includes the implementation of concerning new measures by the government of Cyprus which affect Syrian refugees and asylum-seekers, including suspending the processing of their asylum applications as of mid-April. This measure has affected more than 14,000 Syrian asylum seekers.”
The statement also stressed that European legislation applies in all areas of Cyprus, including the buffer zone.
The organisation noted that in recent months, there have been multiple reports of “interception and subsequent pushback of boats carrying asylum-seekers attempting to reach Cypriot shores”.
No legal basis
Cyprus Refugee Council coordinator Corina Drousiotou told in-cyprus that there is no legal basis for excluding a specific nationality from asylum applications.
She explained that a similar measure was tried during the administration of Nicos Anastasiades, but failed to bring any results.
“This measure was also tried in 2022, during the previous government, and did not bring forward results, as it did not reduce the arrivals of Syrian nationals”.
The U.N. human rights office stated earlier this year that based on evidence it has gathered, Syrian refugees who fled the ongoing Syrian civil war are facing gross human rights violations such as torture and abduction on their return to Syria, while women are subject to sexual harassment and violence.
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