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Helen Bamber Foundation is extremely concerned that the UK government has decided to suspend decision making in Syrian asylum cases. The government is in no position to assume the safety of individuals in such a volatile and developing situation. Helen Bamber Foundation has supported survivors who were tortured by sectarian militias and who would have feared both Bashar al-Assad and sectarian militias, such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The reasons for Syrian nationals claiming asylum in the UK are multi-faceted, complex and in no way limited solely to the atrocities committed by the Assad regime.  

The Home Office’s own Immigration Rules make clear that people should only be found to no longer be entitled to protection where a change of circumstances in their country of origin is “of such a significant and non-temporary nature that the refugee’s fear of persecution can no longer be regarded as well-founded". It is far too early to make this assessment.  

The UK government’s decision will likely take a significant toll on the mental health of the Syrian clients we work with, leaving many feeling anxious and fearful about their future.  

The government has just started to work through the huge backlog of asylum claims. This premature move to pause asylum decision for Syrians will leave thousands stuck in limbo, uncertainty, and fear. Unable to work, they will be left reliant on less than £9 a week of financial support. Syrians in the UK, who are not found to be currently entitled to protection as refugees, should be granted humanitarian protection. This would give them the much-needed security and stability to see how the situation in Syria unfolds, while not preventing those who want to return from doing so.