Syrian denied asylum in Kazakhstan
Yasser's wife Sandugash is a Kazakh citizen. Therefore she will not be deported. So are four of their children who are minors. However, their oldest son who is 18 will be deported as well.
Sandugash says they couldn't provide documents proving that they are facing risk of persecution and there is an imminent threat to their lives in war thorn Syria.
Court in Karaganda dismissed Yasser's lawsuit to the migration police department, asking not to deport him and give him a refugee status.
"The Court of First Instance rightly concluded that the citizen of Syria is no facing any threats in his country, and he can return home with no risks to his health. The court cannot recognize him as a refugee, according to the law "On refugees," as facts of persecutions of any kind were not proven", said Judge Maira Ibragimova announcing the Court's decision.
The Court concluded that according to the law of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the plaintiff has to prove that aside from an ongoing military conflict he is facing political, religious, social or other persecutions in his country.
"The family is trying to explain that in Syria people have to make a choice on whose side they are - government or opposition. Isn't that a sign of danger for this family? But the prosecutor's office stated that we failed to prove that. How should it be proven? They refuse to take wife's and children's testimonies into account for some reason", says their lawyer Alexey Kochkarov.
Today the family is in despair, as they fear the court decision can be executed at any time.
Sandugash and Yasser met in North Kazakhstan. They got married in 1997. The later couple moved to Syria where they bought a house and started a farm. After it was destroyed in 2015 during the fights, they came back to Kazakhstan at Sandugash's sister invitation. The family came to Karaganda legally as guests. However they were denied further stay.