Clarification Regarding the Suspension of Asylum Decisions for Syrians in Germany
December 10, 2024, 1:28 pm

Clarification Regarding the Suspension of Asylum Decisions for Syrians in Germany

ثلثا السوريين في ألمانيا يعتمدون على إعانات البطالة

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in the Federal Republic of Germany, known as BAMF, has announced the suspension of decisions on asylum applications submitted by Syrians that have not yet been concluded (approximately 47,000 applications).

I would like to clarify the following points:

- The suspension of decisions does not mean rejection or deportation (there is no deportation order).
- The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees is part of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. The Federal Ministry of the Interior cannot issue any deportation decisions to Syria without an assessment of the situation by the German Foreign Office (thus far, the German Foreign Office considers Syria an unsafe country).
- All family reunification applications for Syrians are ongoing, and there is no decision to halt them (and there will be none).
- All naturalization applications are ongoing, and there is no decision to stop them (and there will be none).
- The right to political asylum in Germany is an individual right enshrined in the German Constitution according to Article 16, and it can only be revoked through an amendment to the German Constitution (which is unlikely).
- Granting refugee status according to the Geneva Refugee Convention is protected, stipulating: Refugees must be protected according to the Geneva Refugee Convention (Article 3 of the Asylum Act) based on the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention. Individuals who have a reasonable fear of persecution due to their race, nationality, political opinion, religion, or membership in a particular social group must be protected. (Revoking this is unlikely).
- The right to subsidiary protection (temporary residence): According to Directive 2011/95/EU (Qualification Directive), individuals who are eligible for subsidiary protection are those who, although not holding refugee status as defined in the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention, would practically be in a refugee situation due to the risk of facing serious harm if they return to their home country. Serious harm, as intended in Article 15 of the Qualification Directive, includes:
- The imposition of the death penalty or its execution.
- Torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
- Serious individual threat to life or safety of a civilian due to indiscriminate violence in the context of an international or internal armed conflict.

### General Advice:
- All refugees (regardless of their type of residency) and even those whose applications have not yet been decided or who have had their applications suspended should learn the German language.
- Enter the labor market.
- Commit to and respect the laws of the country.

Maksim Al-Issa - Journalist based in Berlin

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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
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