Summary: Syrian refugees refused exit permits from Turkey because they have university degrees

22nd September 2016: At least 1,000 Syrian refugees who have been granted resettlement to third countries are being denied exit permits by the Turkish government because they have educational degrees. SRT grantee the International Refugee Assistance Project has been working with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and members of the United States Congress, as well as the media, to raise the profile of this issue and ensure that these refugees do not suffer due to Turkish policy.

Becca Heller, the director and co-founder of the International Refugee Assistance Project, said, “We work with thousands of refugees who wait years to be approved for resettlement in extremely treacherous circumstances. To yank the promise of safety away at the last minute of the process is inhumane and a gross violation of international law.”

A recent piece in The Guardian details the situation.