In case the criterion of ‘safety’ is satisfied, as a next step, case officers have to establish whether an applicant can:
Figure 7. Travel and admittance as requirements for IPA.
It should be noted that in the context of Syria and in particular the security measures related to State actors, the three requirements should be read in conjunction.
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Safely travel: when assessing the requirement of safety of travel, the presence of permanent and potential temporary checkpoints should be taken into account. Passing through checkpoints requires identification documents.
Treatment at checkpoints was reported to include arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial detentions, torture and forced disappearances. Profiles at particular risk of arrest at checkpoints tend to be those who return to Syria without security clearance or status settlement in place prior to traveling, individuals who work or carry out activities believed to oppose the government, men of military age, and those with family members who were forcibly displaced to Idlib or Aleppo. Particular attention should also be given in the case of women, as the insecurity has affected them disproportionately and restrictions on them have intensified. |
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Legally travel: the Syrian Constitution provides for freedom of movement of citizens unless ‘prevented by a decision from the competent court or the public prosecution office or in accordance with the laws of public health and safety’. However, in practice, freedom of movement in Syria in 2019 was ‘severely restricted’ due to ongoing combat and ‘proliferation of regime and militia checkpoints’. Syrian citizens are also allowed to travel internationally, but the government denied access to passports and civil documentation based on political views, association with the opposition, or geographical location associated with the opposition. The GoS imposed exit visa requirements and was reported to closely monitor Damascus Airport and border crossings. Exit visas were not generally required for Syrians who intended to leave the country, but ‘certain profiles’, including government officials and men aged 18-42, needed to obtain permission from one or more agencies to be allowed to cross the borders.
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Gain admittance to: In order to settle, change residence, and/or rent property in Damascus, one needs to get a security clearance issued by the security services regardless of where the person comes from (abroad, other GoS-controlled governorates or areas outside GoS control) and the rental or purchase contract need to be certified by the mukhtar of the area to which the person intends to move, who then sends the contract information to the security branches for approval. Access to some areas of Damascus, such as Al-Qaboun, Al-Yarmouk, Jobar, and Al-Qadam, is almost completely prohibited due to significant destruction and security permission is required for entering those areas. |
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For those applicants who meet the ‘safety’ criterion, the assessment of the availability of IPA in Damascus City should proceed with an assessment of the requirements of safety and legality of travel and of gaining admittance. The profile and individual circumstances of the applicant should be taken into account in this regard. For individuals who would return to Syria without identity documents or without security clearance or status settlement in place prior to traveling, these requirements would not be satisfied. |
