Earlier this year, news of a Syrian man left short on money and stranded in the KLIA2 airport caught the attention of the public. Hassan Al Kontar, 36, who has been using Twitter to share his story to the world, left Syria 8 years ago after refusing a call to military service. A warrant has since been issued for his arrest, which was why he fled the country, as it is currently going through a civil war.
Now, according to the New Straits Times, after Hassan was arrested by Malaysian authorities on 2nd October, he is set to be deported to his home country soon.
Source: Twitter
According to local authorities, the decision to deport him was made after the Syrian national rejected offers to live in a number of countries across Southeast Asia because he intended to move to Canada. However, the North American country can only accept him in two years’ time. Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman told reporters,
“Malaysia cannot allow him to live at KLIA2 for 24 months so I hope Hassan will change his mind and stay in countries which are ready to accept him while waiting to migrate to Canada.”
Meanwhile, Amnesty International Malaysia has condemned the move to deport Hassan, with its researcher, Rachel Chhoa-Howard, stating,
“Hassan Al Kontar’s arrest is the latest misstep in a series of mishandlings of his case. It would be abhorrent to see him deported to Syria, given the critical situation there and the clear risks to his own safety. Malaysian authorities should respect the international principle of non-refoulement and find a humane solution to his ordeal.”
Source: Twitter
Non-refoulement refers to the principle of international law which forbids a country receiving asylum seekers to deport them to a nation where they could be subjected to persecution.
“The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Malaysia should have access to him, which they have requested. They have recognized him as a ‘person of interest’ and he is entitled to international protection.”
The UNHCR issued a statement earlier this week, stating that Hassan was indeed listed as a person of concern and was therefore in need of international protection.
Source: Twitter
Hassan was reportedly working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 2006 to 2011 when the Syrian civil war began. This caused him to lose his work permit and residency visa. However, he continued to live in the UAE illegally until he was caught and sent to a deportation facility in 2016, causing him to be sent to Malaysia in October 2017.
In January 2018, Hassan’s tourist visa expired, and his efforts to leave Malaysia were unsuccessful as Ecuador and Cambodia denied him entry, causing him to fly back to Malaysia.
However, upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur, he was also denied entry and remained stranded in KLIA2 since early 2018.
My story with the latest updates.. photos & dates for the new followers.#mystory_hassan #syrian_stuck_at_airport pic.twitter.com/UBTJD0Zupt
— Hassan Al Kontar (@Kontar81) August 17, 2018
Let’s hope the relevant authorities address this issue fairly to ensure that this can be solved amicably.
Also read: This Man Has Been Trapped in KLIA2 For the Past 37 Days, Here’s Why
