afrinpost-Exclusive
The Turkish authorities have deported Kurdish artist “Mohammed Jawaish” to the occupied city of Afrin after detaining him in Istanbul for months. This move aligns with the Turkish government’s plan to deport Syrian migrants to northern Syria.
On April 3, 2023, Turkish authorities arrested folk artist “Mohammed Jawaish Abu Wahid,” originally from Marateh village in Afrin, from his residence in Istanbul, Turkey. He remained in detention for over five months until his release and deportation to northern Syria. He recently arrived in his family’s residence in the occupied city of Afrin.
On September 24, Turkish authorities deported 450 Syrians, including women and children, through the Tel Abyad and Bab al-Hawa border crossings in northern Syria.
The Deportation Decision
Several months ago, the Istanbul province issued a directive specifying September 24, 2023, as the last day for Syrian residents subject to temporary residence and registered in other provinces to leave the city and return to their registered provinces.
Earlier, “TR99” platforms reported, citing the Turkish Directorate of Migration, that any violators holding temporary protection cards (Kimlik) from another province would not be allowed to stay beyond the specified date and would be directly deported to Syria.
The Turkish government also passed a new law imposing fines on individuals who harbor irregular migrants in their homes or workplaces. The fines range from 100,000 to 1,000,000 Turkish lira (between 3,700 and 37,000 US dollars), depending on the number of migrants hosted by Turkish citizens. Foreign families hosting irregular migrants may also face deportation on charges of smuggling irregular migrants.
The Turkish Directorate of Migration reported in May 2023 that there are approximately 4.9 million foreigners in Turkey, with over 3.3 million Syrians residing under temporary protection, including more than 500,000 in Istanbul, which has witnessed the largest police crackdown on migrants.
