UN Condemns Cyprus for Expelling Three Migrant Boats

The UN Mission in Cyprus has expressed concern over reports regarding the expulsion of three boats carrying approximately 80 Syrian nationals, including women and children, from the island.

According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the incident occurred on March 14. Three boats carrying refugees fleeing Syria arrived off the coast of Cyprus. However, the Cypriot authorities refused to allow the boats to dock, and the Syrian nationals were forcibly returned to Syria, from where they had fled.

The UN has again called on states to refrain from pushbacks and returns of individuals without providing legal and procedural safeguards. “Such actions are incompatible with states' obligations under the principle of non-refoulement and are in violation of international law,” the agency stated. It further stressed that all law enforcement operations, including those concerning maritime movements, must comply with international law, including refugee rights and human rights, and should not result in actions that violate the non-refoulement principle.

“The principle of non-refoulement prohibits all states, even those that are not parties to relevant treaties, from taking actions that could lead to the expulsion of an individual to a place where they may face the risk of persecution or serious human rights violations,” the UN representatives reminded.

The UN also emphasized that refusing entry or any other expulsion measures, without conducting a thorough individual risk assessment, contradicts the non-refoulement principle.

The agency strongly urged states to allow civilians fleeing Syria to enter their territories and to guarantee their right to seek asylum.

In related news, it was reported that over the past weekend, Cyprus Police conducted a large-scale operation to identify third-country nationals residing illegally on the island. More than 50 violators were arrested in just one day. Since the beginning of the year, Cyprus has expelled 3,100 illegal immigrants.

On Monday, March 17, a boat carrying Syrian refugees sank off the coast of Cyprus. Preliminary reports indicate that 21 people were aboard the vessel at the time of the tragedy. At least seven fatalities have been confirmed. Rescuers managed to recover two survivors from the water. One survivor reported that the passengers were Syrians who had fled the Mediterranean port city of Tartus.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) has launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate those still missing. No additional survivors have been found at this time.