Austria has carried out its first direct deportation to Syria in about 15 years, sending back a 32-year-old Syrian man who had been convicted of multiple crimes and identified as a supporter of the terrorist organization Islamic State.
The deportation, which took place via a scheduled flight through Istanbul to Damascus, marks a significant turning point in Austria’s asylum policy. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed that the deportee had served a seven-year prison sentence handed down in 2018. His asylum status had been revoked in early 2019, but his deportation was blocked at the time due to the conflict in Syria.
However, Karner cited the “changed situation” in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime, stating that deportations are now legally permissible. The minister said this action reflects Austria’s commitment to pursuing a “tough and therefore just asylum policy,” adding that more deportations to Syria are expected in the near future.
“This is no reason to celebrate,” Karner said at Vienna Airport after the deportation. “It is simply a mandate to continue working resolutely in this direction.”
The deportation, initially scheduled for June 23, was delayed due to airspace closures linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East. It was ultimately carried out after Karner and then-German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had traveled to Syria’s new rulers in April to agree on the logistics of repatriation.
Austria’s action makes it the first European country in recent years to directly deport a Syrian criminal to Damascus. According to the Interior Ministry, more than 350 Syrians have left Austria for Syria since the fall of the Assad regime.
In December, Austria launched a review of asylum protections for Syrians, potentially affecting up to 40,000 people. The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum sent letters to Syrians living in Austria for less than five years, asking whether they still needed protection.
Meanwhile, other European nations have struggled to persuade Syrians to return voluntarily. In Germany, a voluntary return program launched in Dresden offered €1,000 per adult and €4,000 per family, but only four out of more than 7,400 Syrians applied. Germany’s former interior minister also floated the idea of allowing Syrians to take “exploratory trips” back home to assess safety.
Denmark, meanwhile, has offered some of Europe’s largest financial incentives for voluntary returns, including up to 200,000 Danish crowns — about €26,800 — per adult under its repatriation program.
Elsewhere, the right-wing Sweden Democrats, which props up the current Swedish government, have called for a review of permanent residency permits for Syrians in Sweden, arguing that the Assad regime’s fall means many no longer require protection.
The European Council announced in February the suspension of certain sanctions on Syria to support reconstruction and humanitarian efforts, including easing restrictions on energy and financial sectors.
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