By Fatih Erel
GENEVA
Only one percent of asylum seekers have been given leave to remain in the Greek Cypriot administration in recent years as Syria's ongoing civil war pushed migrants towards Europe, Jens Modvig, a member of the UN Committee against Torture, told Anadolu Agency on Sunday.
One of the criticisms faced by the Greek Cypriot administration is concerning the issues of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, Modvig told AA at the UN Office in Geneva.
On Friday, the committee revealed its observations on the country's latest human rights situation concerning torture and other cruel treatments.
"The committee is highly concerned (...) by reports indicating that asylum seekers have been reportedly deported to their countries of origin despite serious risks of torture or religious persecution," the report said.
"There is huge risk for asylum seekers," Modvig said, stressing the need for an effective process for identifying migrants who suffered torture before applying to the Greek Cypriot administration.
He said they already recommended the representatives of the Greek Cypriot administration to improve the medical examinations of newly arrived asylum seekers and undocumented migrants.
"We also recommended not to treat asylum seekers as criminals but to provide them with good conditions including basic safeguard against torture."
Regarding Syrians who take refuge in the de facto state, Modvig said, "There are cases that Syrian refugees are sent back to Syria. We have raised that as a concern, too."
Friday's report urged the Greek Cypriot administration to ensure that asylum requests are carefully examined and to allow sufficient time for asylum seekers to thoroughly explain their reasons for application.
www.aa.com.tr/en
