The Danish Refugee Appeals Board has determined that the return of Syrian refugees to Lattakia province in western Syria is safe following improvements in security conditions. In contrast, a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees described Denmark's decision as "concerning," stating that the agency does not consider the improvement in Syria's security situation sufficient to "justify ending international protection for any group of refugees."
When the Danish Immigration Service decides to revoke a refugee's residence permit, the case is automatically referred to the Refugee Appeals Board, which is the highest authority in asylum cases in Denmark for review. Lattakia province is a stronghold for President Bashar al-Assad's government and has not witnessed the same level of conflict as other provinces in central and eastern parts of the country.
Since 2019, Denmark has revoked the residence permits of 150 Syrians from Damascus and the surrounding area among more than 1,300 cases reviewed, according to the Immigration Service. In 2021, European lawmakers criticized Denmark for trying to repatriate refugees to Damascus after Danish authorities claimed conditions in the capital had improved. Danish Immigration Minister Mattias Tesfaye stated to Reuters at that time: "We clarified to Syrian refugees that their residence permits are temporary and can be revoked if the need for protection ceases."
Amnesty International has noted that Denmark and Hungary are the only two countries in the European Union that have revoked residence permits for Syrian refugees.
