In the first operation of its kind: The deportation of a Syrian criminal from Austria to Damascus
Austria has become the first country in the European Union to deport a Syrian migrant to his home country in over 15 years. The deported migrant had been convicted of criminal offenses and was returned to Damascus on a commercial flight that departed from Vienna via Istanbul, according to the Austrian Ministry of the Interior.
This step had been planned since last week, but it was postponed due to the closure of Syrian airspace as a result of the military escalation between Israel and Iran. This deportation comes in the context of a new tightening of the asylum policy in the country. Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, a member of the conservative ÖVP party, stated that this deportation represents "part of a strict and fair asylum policy." He confirmed that the government will continue this policy seriously and strictly, including additional deportations to Syria. The new Austrian government, which includes a coalition of the conservative ÖVP party, the social democratic SPÖ party, and the liberal NEOS party, has adopted a strict approach to asylum and immigration issues. The measures also include a halt to family reunification for asylum seekers and those in need of protection.
According to the Ministry of Interior, this new policy began after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024. Since then, Vienna has started preparing for deportation and repatriation programs for refugees to Syria, and has suspended asylum procedures and family reunification for Syrian families.
The decision to deport was made after a joint visit to Damascus by Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and former German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser last April. The visit was initially postponed for security reasons following a terrorist threat in March. Despite the political changes in Syria, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Austria warned against implementing rapid deportations, noting that the security situation remains fragile, the infrastructure is destroyed, and 90% of the Syrian population relies on humanitarian aid.
Since the fall of the Syrian regime, about 350 Syrians have voluntarily returned from Austria to their homeland, while around 100,000 Syrians still reside in the country.