In a press conference held by the Mazloum Dur Association, the controversial issues surrounding the Turkish government’s decisions to deport refugees and the escalation of hate crimes in the country were addressed.
The association revealed the start of a policy in 2018 that forces deportees to sign papers declaring that return is voluntary. However, recent policies have seen an increase in forced deportation without even the need for the deportee to sign.
The association pointed to the government’s strategies in changing locations and transferring deportees to four different cities with the aim of preventing lawyers from reaching them before deportation. She also confirmed that the Immigration Department does not respond to calls and letters from lawyers representing deportation victims, which gives the government an opportunity to deport the victims before the lawyers arrive.
The association described conditions inside deportation centers as “worse than prisons,” where basic needs cannot be accessed. It was also mentioned that the government uses representatives from the governments of the countries from which the refugees fled in investigations with them.
The association indicated that the government is working to prevent part of the family members from obtaining residency, which contributes to tearing families apart and pushing them to leave. She stressed that the judiciary does not take a position against hate crimes, which leads to the exacerbation of racism.
The association denounced the electoral promises that referred to the return of refugees and the adoption of this as a political program by the government, noting that these promises had contributed to the increase in hate crimes.
The association described forced deportation to conflict areas, such as Syria, as “contrary to the Temporary Protection Law and the Geneva Conventions.”
The association revealed that there are cases of deportation affecting not only Syrians, but also Afghans, Iraqis, and Uzbeks. She pointed out that Turkish security exploited the laws against Syrians by generalizing them to all Arabs, even if they were tourists.
The association highlighted the story of a woman who was upset by the deportation policy on social media, as she was deported alongside her husband.
The association concluded its statements by calling for a reversal of deportation policies and described the current decisions as “illegal and unrealistic.”
