The granting of refugee status in Switzerland for Turkish nationals has just been clarified by the Federal Administrative Court (TAF). While requests explode in Switzerland and Europe, fueled by the repression of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s regime, the Court was clear: it considered that the opening of procedures in Turkey for “contempt of the president” or “propaganda for a terrorist organization” does not constitute, in itself, a sufficient reason to grant asylum.
These charges, often linked to publications on social networks, do not imply a well-founded fear of persecution in the country, affirms the Court. This decision risks becoming a landmark, as asylum requests from Turks reach records. In 2022, Switzerland recorded 4,791 requests, the RTS recently recalled, a figure never seen before. The rise is attributed to deteriorating economic conditions and intensified repression since the 2016 coup attempt.
Turkey is increasing mass arrests of opponents and harshly repressing dissenting voices, notably through a recent law targeting online critics. According to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), political activists as well as users of social networks critical of the regime are particularly vulnerable. Despite everything, the TAF rejected the appeal of an asylum seeker from Şırnak, confirming that his return is due. The fate of several other asylum applications could thus be influenced.
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