in-cyprus 14 November 2024
Cyprus will revoke subsidiary protection status from migrants who commit serious criminal offences, Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection Nicholas Ioannides announced Thursday.
The new legislation, approved by the cabinet, incorporates European Union provisions allowing the withdrawal of subsidiary protection for individuals who commit serious crimes in Cyprus, Ioannides said.
“While we provide hospitality and international protection in accordance with our international obligations, when this hospitality is abused, there will be consequences beyond criminal penalties, including the removal of subsidiary protection”, the deputy minister said.
Subsidiary protection is granted to individuals who don’t qualify for refugee status but face risks in their home countries. Ioannides noted that while direct repatriation may not be possible due to safety concerns, agreements with third countries could facilitate relocation.
The minister also announced that developments regarding repatriation agreements with third countries are expected by Friday. “We’ve reached understandings with certain countries and will have developments by tomorrow”, he said.
Nicosia has been lobbying the European Union to declare parts of Syria as safe for repatriation and has terminated the examination of asylum applications from Syrian nationals.
However, the U.N. human rights office has stated that based on evidence it has gathered, Syrian refugees who fled the ongoing Syrian civil war are facing gross human rights violations such as torture and abduction on their return to Syria, while women are subject to sexual harassment and violence.
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has criticised Cypriot authorities for pushing back asylum seekers to the UN buffer zone, despite repeated objections.
