Deportation of Syrian Criminal from Austria Fails

Deportation of Syrian Criminal from Austria Fails

This was supposed to be the first deportation to Syria since 2015. The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum had already organised the deportation following a decision by the Federal Administrative Court, but it ultimately failed to take place.

English NAGYVILÁG POLITIKA 2025. JÚNIUS 24. 13:06

„Due to the escalation of the Middle East conflict, the airspace over the country is closed, and therefore no aircraft are currently allowed to fly to Syria,” said the Austria’s interior ministry. The individual in question, a 32-year-old criminal, remains in custody. As soon as deportation becomes possible, it must take place.

However, this will once again require approval from the Syrian authorities. The certificate issued for the man was valid for a specific date, which has now expired.

The man as been behind bars in Austria for seven years – on taxpayers’ money.


It Would Have Been the First Deportation

Had the deportation gone ahead, it would have been the first since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, which began nearly a decade and a half ago. Since the change of power in Damascus and the fall of the Assad regime, Austria has been seeking to return Syrians to their homeland. These plans primarily target individuals who have committed crimes.

In the case of the convicted man serving a long prison sentence in Austria, the European Court of Human Rights did not block the deportation. From a European legal perspective, this means there are no objections, as it can no longer be assumed that the person would be at risk in his home country.

Deportations from the EU Are Rare

Deportations from the EU to Syria are currently extremely rare. Eurostat statistics reveal that only a few dozen such proceedings have been initiated in recent months, though it is unclear whether any of these expulsions have actually been carried out. Nevertheless, a guide has already been created for this process. Frontex has issued a publication for children at risk of deportation, referred to as a „return guide”. The content of this guide has been criticised by child rights organisations.

Photo: AFPFrontex: EU Approved Publication That Violates Rights

This is not the first time that Frontex, the European border protection agency, has come under fire, having previously been accused of human rights violations. Now, its publications designed for children, written in various languages, have been found to violate rights.

„The Frontex returns department has coordinated the entire content with the EU member states and the Consultation Forum,

the agency wrote.

The „return guide” was designed for children aged 6–11 and 12–17, who are awaiting deportation. Although it emphasizes children’s rights, particularly the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the content is seen as misleading rather than informative.

Frontex Return Guide: „Violation of Children’s Right to Appropriate Information”

Frontex „turns its own deportation process into an adventure story,” reads a post that drew a response from the network committed to implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In a statement, the Kinderrechte Deutschland (Network for Children’s Rights Germany) stated that

the published materials violate „the fundamental principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child”.

The gap between formal references to child rights and their actual implementation is enormous and represents „a particularly problematic violation of the right to appropriate and child-friendly information,” said the statement.

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