Action Group – GermanyÂ
German authorities prevented a Palestinian-Syrian refugee from returning to Germany, despite his valid residency, following his brief visit to Syria via Beirut airport.Â
According to a press report, the refugee (A.F.), who resides in Germany and holds a Palestinian-Syrian travel document issued by the Syrian government, was prevented from boarding a Middle East Airlines flight at Beirut airport after being informed that German authorities do not recognize travel documents belonging to Palestinian refugees.
Official documents show that the German government issued a decision barring the entry of holders of certain travel documents, such as Lebanese, Egyptian, and Palestinian Authority documents, without explicitly mentioning Palestinian-Syrian travel documents, raising legal questions about the interpretation and implementation of the decision.
The German embassy in Beirut reportedly failed to receive him without an appointment and failed to provide clarification regarding his status, leaving him stranded in Lebanon without clear paths to legal return.
Human rights activists have warned of the recurrence of such cases, calling on Palestinian-Syrian refugees residing in Germany, especially those holding Palestinian-Syrian documents, to exercise caution when traveling outside the country, especially to Syria, to avoid losing their right of return despite having legal residency.
The report also indicated that some refugees are trying to return to Germany via other European countries such as France, which the German authorities consider an illegal route and could expose them to legal accountability. Source: Al-Awda News Network