The Association of Contemporary Lawyers in Türkiye has issued an urgent appeal: “Do not send the Arab Alawites who have sought refuge in Türkiye back to Syria — to certain death.”
The association emphasized that deporting the 22 detained Arab Alawite asylum seekers in Muğla-Ula would constitute a serious violation of the non-refoulement principle under international law and could expose them to persecution, torture, or death at the hands of HTS forces in Syria.
The Turkish Cultural Community in Austria (TKG Think Tank) has called for the protection of Syrian Alawites in Muğla-Ula and urged Türkiye and international institutions to uphold the principle of non-refoulement.
BERLIN/İZMİR, 23.10.2025 — The Association of Contemporary Lawyers in Türkiye (Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği, İzmir branch) announced that 22 members of Syria’s Arab Alawite minority, who fled persecution by HTS and sought refuge in Türkiye, are being unlawfully detained at the Muğla-Ula Removal Center. The association reminded authorities that Türkiye is legally obliged not to return Syrian Alawite citizens who have been subjected to systematic massacres under HTS rule in Syria.
According to the İzmir branch, at least 22 Syrian asylum seekers from the Arab Alawite minority are currently under administrative detention at the Muğla-Ula Removal Center. These individuals reportedly fled territories controlled by the armed group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) due to their Alawite faith. HTS is identified as a radical jihadist organization notorious for attacks and massacres targeting the Alawite community during the Syrian civil war. International human rights reports indicate that armed forces under the HTS “interim administration” have killed thousands—possibly tens of thousands—of Alawite civilians. Fighters reportedly went door to door interrogating civilians about their sect, looting valuables, committing violence accompanied by sectarian insults, and engaging in widespread sexual violence against women. Numerous documented cases also indicate that women and children were abducted for slavery and human trafficking.
The association emphasized that the Republic of Türkiye, under both domestic law and international conventions to which it is a party, is obligated not to forcibly return any person facing persecution. Under the principle of non-refoulement, it is prohibited to deport a person if doing so would expose them to life-threatening danger. Therefore, the administrative detention of at least 22 Syrian Alawite asylum seekers, including children, at the Muğla-Ula center is legally unacceptable.
The Association of Contemporary Lawyers issued the following demands to Turkish authorities:
• Immediate termination of all administrative detention orders concerning the 22 Syrian asylum seekers held in Muğla-Ula.
• Prompt processing of their asylum applications based on a well-founded fear of persecution, and granting them temporary protection status.
• Full compliance with national and international legal obligations regarding the principle of non-refoulement.
Urgent Warning from the Turkish Cultural Community in Austria (TKG Think Tank)
The Turkish Cultural Community in Austria (TKG Think Tank) has declared that Syrian Arab Alawite/Shiite asylum seekers held at the Muğla-Ula Removal Center must be urgently protected due to the risk of persecution and violence posed by HTS. The organization calls on Türkiye and international institutions to uphold the principle of non-refoulement and to take immediate protective measures. TKG, committed to human rights advocacy and democratic awareness—especially regarding injustices faced by the Turkish community in Austria—released a statement titled: These People Must Be Helped Immediately!
Statement Highlights
According to verified information, the individuals listed below face the risk of massacre, rape, and all forms of inhuman treatment in Syria solely because of their Alawite faith. Relevant sources are provided below. Across the world and in Türkiye, there are businesspeople, NGO representatives, politicians, and media professionals of Alawite/Shiite Arab origin from Syria and Lebanon. Our appeal to them is this: they must become the voice of those Syrian Alawite Arabs who have fallen victim to massacres since November 2024. They know this tragedy better than anyone. We, as TKG, are not directly connected to the region; we view this as a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding just kilometers beyond Türkiye’s border. Foreign intelligence networks active inside Türkiye may exploit these developments, and there is a real risk that the HTS regime could export its Alawite genocide into Türkiye. Preventive measures must be taken immediately. Why do prominent and influential figures in Austria and the EU remain silent in the face of potential migration from Türkiye’s Hatay region? Are they afraid—or are they opportunistic intellectuals who speak of humanity, harmony, and beauty only at the dinner table?
On Regional Silence and Sectarian Risk
One recalls that the PKK/YPG/PYD once allegedly fought against ISIS. Why is there now no solidarity against al-Nusra (HTS) in its terror campaign against Syria’s Alawites? Are politically active Kurdish and Alawite figures in Türkiye and abroad not disturbed by this? This is a humanitarian tragedy. Regardless of identity, we must not remain silent in the face of systematic violence and massacres committed by HTS (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham) since November 2024. Millions in Türkiye—Sunnis, Alawites, Kurds, Zazas, Albanians—see these atrocities as a continuation of a 500-year pattern of violence. We call upon the Republic of Türkiye to take concrete measures to ensure the safety of its citizens against threats posed by HTS, Daesh/ISIS, and similar entities. The situation must not be downplayed. Our purpose is to inform the public and prevent Türkiye from being drawn into chaos and sectarian conflict through Syria. The notion that the belt breaks, but we keep quiet is wrong—human life and dignity must be protected.
Final Call to Türkiye’s Authorities
Turkish authorities must not create the impression—through any administrative or political act—that they are delivering Syrian Alawite Arabs to HTS supporters or to an HTS-controlled regime. The government should immediately open the Yayladağı border crossing to provide humanitarian protection to those living just kilometers away in Latakia (Lāzkiye). The massacres, rapes, sexual enslavement, property looting, forced displacements, and starvation imposed by the HTS/Salafi-Wahhabi regime must be stopped. The Republic of Türkiye must put an end to this crime against humanity. The Alawite Arabs of Syria trust in the founding principles of the modern Republic of Türkiye and in their millions of relatives living in Hatay and across Türkiye—this trust is justified. We express our respect and confidence in the Turkish nation.
Subject: Concerning the Syrian Nationals Held at the Muğla-Ula Removal Center in Türkiye
Dear Sir or Madam,
We have received credible information that numerous Syrian nationals, including several children, are currently being detained at the Muğla-Ula Removal Center in the province of Muğla. Our findings indicate that several of these individuals belong to the Alawite faith. Given the situation of the Alawite community in Syria and the widespread human rights violations documented there, returning these persons would expose them to death, torture, or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Therefore, under Article 4 of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, the non-refoulement principle must be strictly observed. The individual circumstances of each person must be carefully assessed, and all deportation procedures must be suspended. Regarding the Syrian Arab Alawites who sought refuge in Muğla-Ula, we have received their Turkish and Arabic first names and birth years from the EU Commission in Brussels. The first names have been abbreviated, and surnames removed. The ages range from four small children to 45 years old.
A.—
M.—
B.—
M.—
W.—
S.—
H.—
H.—
A.—
R.—
K.—
A.—
M.—
A.—
N.—
A.—
A.—
S.—
S.—
J.—
S.—
We respectfully request the competent authorities to urgently carry out the necessary reviews and measures, and to keep us informed of all developments regarding this matter.
Respectfully,
Turkish Cultural Community in Austria (TKG Think Tank)
Vienna, 23 October 2025
Verified and Relevant Sources (URLs):
Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği İzmir Branch:
https://cagdashukukcular.org/subelerimiz/
UN & Alawite Violence Report — Al Jazeera:
UN Security Council Press Release — HTS:
https://press.un.org/en/2025/sc16020.doc.htm
HRW Report: “Are You Alawi? Identity-Based Killings During Syria’s Transition” — HRW
https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/09/23/are-you-alawi/identity-based-killings-during-syrias-transition
Yeni Vatan Newspaper: “UN: War Crimes Committed Against Alawite Minority in Syria”
PİRHA News Portal — Statement of the Association of Contemporary Lawyers:
Additional references:
UK Government Document: “Country Policy and Information Note: Alawites and Actual or Perceived Assadists, Syria, July 2025”
Reuters Investigation: “How Syrian Government Forces and Factions Are Linked to the Mass Killings of Alawites” — Reuters
USCIRF Report: “2022 Factsheet – HTS-Syria” — USCIRF PDF
https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/2022%20Factsheet%20-%20HTS-Syria.pdf
UN News – Official Summary of Speech:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/09/1165940
YouTube — UN Session Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ1hXwN8_wo
Türkische Allgemeine Reports:
