The Legal and Documentation Bureau holds security and administrative authorities responsible for the safety of the detainees and calls for their release unless a clear legal justification exists
The Legal and Documentation Bureau of the Committee of Displaced Persons from Sere Kaniye/Ras al-Ain/Res Ayna expressed deep concern over reports indicating the detention of several local residents who recently returned to the villages of Tal Dhiyab and Halabiya, as part of the displaced persons’ return program.
In a human rights statement, the Bureau noted that the return of displaced persons must take place in a safe and stable environment that ensures the protection of their basic rights, fundamental freedoms, and human dignity. It stated that “any measure affecting the freedom or safety of returnees warrants verification of its legality, grounds, and circumstances, as well as full compliance with legal rules and internationally recognized human rights guarantees.”
The Bureau held the security and administrative authorities overseeing the area “fully responsible for the safety of the detained individuals,” demanding the immediate and transparent disclosure of the detainees’ status, the reasons for their detention, the circumstances surrounding their custody, and the legal basis upon which these measures were taken.
It further demanded that the right of every detainee to know the reasons for their arrest, communicate with their families, and benefit from all established legal guarantees be upheld, calling for their release in the absence of a clear and lawful basis for their continued detention.
The Legal and Documentation Bureau emphasized the necessity of stopping any arbitrary practices or measures that would restrict the freedom of returnees, threaten their safety, or infringe upon their dignity and fundamental rights.
It clarified that the responsibility of the governing authorities in the region “is not limited to merely organizing the return of displaced persons, but also includes providing them with necessary protection and ensuring they are not subjected to arbitrary arrest, threats, restrictions, or any form of treatment that contradicts human rights principles and the rule of law.”
The Bureau noted that the continuation of the return program requires “the provision of real and tangible guarantees, rather than mere administrative procedures,” to ensure that the return is safe, voluntary, dignified, and stable, allowing returnees to resume their normal lives without fear of arrest, prosecution, or any unclear measures lacking a legal basis.
It added that reported detentions occurring under the return program “raise serious concerns among returnees and their families and directly impact confidence in this process,” pointing out that such incidents could act as a deterrent for families preparing to return, which necessitates addressing these cases urgently, transparently, and responsibly.
The Bureau called upon the security and administrative authorities in Hasakah Governorate and the Sere Kaniye/Ras al-Ain area to assume their legal and humanitarian responsibilities, urgently reveal the truth regarding these detentions, ensure the safety of all detainees, grant them their legal rights, and release them unless there is a clear legal justification for their continued detention.
The Legal and Documentation Bureau affirmed that it will continue to monitor, follow up on, and document these cases, verify related information, communicate with the relevant security, administrative, and legal entities, and take all necessary legal and human rights steps to protect returnees and ensure respect for their fundamental rights and freedoms.
Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version… Read the Arabic version:Click here
