The Swiss Refugee Council welcomed the decision of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) to resume the processing of asylum applications by Syrian nationals as of May 2026, after a suspension lasting 16 months since December 2024.
At the same time, the organisation strongly warned against returning individuals to Syria, considering such removals generally unreasonable. It highlighted the ongoing armed conflict, widespread destruction of infrastructure, economic collapse and persistent human rights violations. According to OSAR, the transitional government is unable to ensure the population’s safety.
Given these conditions, the organisation highlighted that Switzerland should continue to protect Syrian nationals through temporary admission rather than pursuing returns.
- Swiss Refugee Council | Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe | Organisation suisse d’aide aux réfugiés (17 April, 2026), Syrie : l’OSAR salue la reprise des décisions d’asile et juge les renvois inexigibles [Syria: Swiss Refugee Council Welcomes Resumption of Asylum Decisions and Deems Returns Unreasonable],