German asylum office BAMF rejects most of asylum claims from Turkish nationals

Via Tagesspiegel (from 12.09; Link in German) – While the German government criticizes the deteriorating human rights situation in Turkey and voiced travel warnings for Turkey for German nationals, the asylum office BAMF rejects most of asylum claims from Turkish nationals. From the 8.547 asylum claims coming from Turkish nationals taken this year, 5.040 asylum seekers were rejected as unfounded.

So, according to the German government, Turkey is not safe for German nationals, but they don’t seem to have any problems with deporting Turks to that same country and human rights conditions: A total of 26 Turks were deported to Turkey this year.

Continue reading in German at Tagesspiegel

Greece: 25 migrants rescued, 1 child dies in boat accident

Via AP News – More than 20 migrants or refugees were rescued and one child died Thursday on a Greek island after the boat they set sail in overnight from the nearby Turkish coast either capsized or sank, Greek authorities said.

A vessel from the European border agency Frontex patrolling the area initially picked up six people — one man, two women and three children — it spotted in the sea off the small southeastern island of Kastellorizo in the early hours of Thursday, the Greek coast guard said. The six were transported to land immediately because one of the children, a 9-year-old girl, needed medical attention, but she later died, the coast guard said. Another four of the survivors were hospitalized. Continue reading Greece: 25 migrants rescued, 1 child dies in boat accident

Romania faces a rush of migrant boats as smugglers test new routes to Europe

Via PRI – During World War II, Romania’s Jewish refugees, fleeing extermination in Europe, would pay to cram aboard flimsy boats crossing the Black Sea to the Middle East. In 2017, Romania’s shores have been the recipient of migrant boats traveling the journey in reverse, as a rarely-used smuggler’s passage is reactivated.

The recent boat arrivals have prompted speculation that the Black Sea is opening up as a perilous new corridor into Europe, though such observations may be premature.

Continue reading Romania faces a rush of migrant boats as smugglers test new routes to Europe

AA: “Turkey-Syria border wall to be completed by end of September”

Via Hurriyet Daily News* – The construction of a concrete barrier along hundreds of kilometers of Turkey’s border with Syria is expected to be completed by the end of September, a Turkish official told state-run Anadolu Agency on Sept. 22.

A total of 731 kilometers of the border wall has already been finished, the official told the agency. The remaining 97 km of the wall will be completed by the end of this month, the official added.  Continue reading AA: “Turkey-Syria border wall to be completed by end of September”

AA: “Turkey processing citizenship for 50,000 Syrians, interior ministry official says”

State-run Anadolu Ajensi reports that Turkey will grand citizenship to around 50,000 Syrians living in Turkey according to an Interior Ministry official:

Via Hurriyet Daily News – “Speaking in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, Interior Ministry General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs manager Sinan Güner told the agency the process of granting citizenship had already begun. Continue reading AA: “Turkey processing citizenship for 50,000 Syrians, interior ministry official says”

Is a new deadly route being (re-)established in the Black Sea?

Via Bordermonitoring Bulgaria – The escape route from Turkey via the black sea was rarely used in 2013 and 2014 before the so called refugee crisis in Europe reached its peak. Since the recent crackdown on the Aegean Sea route in the last months, more and more people are again trying to travel from Turkey via the Black Sea to reach Bulgaria or Romania. Since the beginning of 2017, already 649 migrants were caught, while they tried to cross via Black Sea. Continue reading Is a new deadly route being (re-)established in the Black Sea?

At least 19 killed after boat carrying migrants sinks off Turkey’s Black Sea coast

Via Hurriyet Daily News – At least 19 people were killed after a fishing boat carrying migrants sank off the northwestern Turkish coast of Kocaeli in the Black Sea early on Sept. 22. An unborn baby is reportedly among those killed migrants in the accident.

Coastguard teams were searching for other migrants who went missing following the capsizing off the Kefken coast, while some 40 migrants have already been rescued from the sea. The incident occurred 64 sea miles off the coast.  Continue reading At least 19 killed after boat carrying migrants sinks off Turkey’s Black Sea coast

Syria opposition activist, daughter found dead in Istanbul: report

via Yahoo – A senior Syrian opposition activist and her journalist daughter have been found dead at their apartment in Istanbul, the Dogan news agency reported on Friday.

Friends raised the alarm after being unable to reach Aroubeh Barakat and her daughter Halla Barakat by telephone, the news agency said. Turkish police then arrived at their apartment in the Uskudar district on the Asian side of Istanbul and found both women dead. Unconfirmed reports said that their throats had been cut. Continue reading Syria opposition activist, daughter found dead in Istanbul: report

Refugees at heightened risk of refoulement under Turkey’s state of emergency

Amnesty International published a short report about deportations and forceful ‘voluntary returns’ to Syria: 

Amnesty International is concerned that Turkey has become an even less safe space for refugees and asylum-seekers since the coup attempt on 15 July 2016. Safeguards against being sent to other countries where they face a risk of serious human rights violations have been drastically reduced as part of the measures adopted under the state of emergency in place following the failed coup.  Continue reading Refugees at heightened risk of refoulement under Turkey’s state of emergency