Austria deports a Syrian convicted of sexual crimes to Syria
Austria has deported another Syrian citizen convicted of sexual crimes to his country, the Interior Ministry confirmed. The man, aged 39, had spent more than two years in prison for a sexual offense and had his refugee status revoked about a year ago following his conviction. The deportation was carried out on Thursday via Istanbul to Damascus, and an Austrian liaison officer was present during the handover to the Syrian authorities.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner described this person as a "dangerous sex offender," emphasizing that this step represents a continuation of Austria's policy of deporting criminals from the country. In July, another Syrian was deported to his country for the first time in 15 years. However, another planned deportation in August was temporarily suspended by the European Court of Human Rights, and the final decision is still pending.
The Ministry of Interior announced that additional deportation operations to Syria are being prepared. Afghan citizens are also expected to be deported in the near future, following controversial discussions with representatives of the extremist Islamic Taliban in Vienna.
Authorities indicated that around thirty individuals may be affected by the upcoming deportations to Afghanistan, while Austria continues to implement strict measures against foreigners convicted of crimes or who pose security risks.
These deportations reflect Austria's ongoing approach to prioritizing public safety by removing foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes, while addressing the legal and diplomatic challenges associated with international resettlement.