Urgent Action: SYRIAN REFUGEE AT RISK OF DEPORTATION (Jordan 32.24)

On April 9, 2024, Jordanian security forces arrested Syrian refugee, Atiya Mohammad Abu Salem, while he was on his way to film pro-Gaza protests in Amman. His lawyer was told that the authorities issued a deportation order for him to Syria, and he remains in detention at a security center. Syria is not safe for returns, and if deported, he would be at risk of serious human rights violations. International law requires that the Jordanian authorities must immediately halt his deportation order and release him so long as he has not been charged with a recognized crime, in which case he should be charged and given all due process rights.

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• Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
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sample letter:

Your Excellency,  

I am concerned for Atiya Mohammad Abu Salem, a Syrian refugee, who is at the imminent risk of deportation. Atiya is a Syrian journalism student and freelance videographer, who sought refuge in Jordan 12 years ago. 

On April 9, 2024, Security forces arrested Atiya Mohammad Abu Salem while he was on his way to film a pro Gaza protest in the vicinity of the Israeli embassy in al-Rabieh in Amman. Security forces did not inform Atiya of the reasons for his arrest and interrogated him in the absence of a lawyer. According to his lawyer, Atiya was subjected to several human rights violations, including threatening him with deportation and forcing him to unlock his phone for inspection. Atiya was not referred to a judicial body and was not charged with any crime. However, his lawyer was told that the authorities issued a deportation order for him.  

I urge you to ensure that Atiya Mohammad Abu Salem is not deported to Syria and that he be released or appropriately charged with a crime and provided with full due process rights, including access to a lawyer and the ability to challenge his detention. Returning him to Syria would violate the international principle of non-refoulement, which is non-derogable in relation to a risk of torture, and states that governments should not, under any circumstance, deport persons to places where they may be at risk of torture and other serious human rights violations. 

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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