Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, SWP)

Reconstruction in Syria Challenges and Policy Options for the EU and its Member States
Surveys conducted by UNHCR in 2018 show that the main reasons for Syrian refugees not to return are fear of political persecution, lawlessness and forced conscription, and feeling unsafe or being unable to reclaim property because of missing documentation. An August 2019 report by the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) demonstrates that these con­cerns over personal safety are anything but groundless. It documents almost two thousand cases where returnees were arbitrarily detained. Almost one-third disappeared; fifteen are known to have died under torture. Many of those who were released were, ac­cord­ing to SNHR, later detained again or conscripted.83 Moreover many refugees assume that they would not find adequate livelihoods if they returned, because of destruction of housing, looting, and legislation designed to enable expropriations and property sei­zures especially from displaced persons. Refugees also expect that access to basic services will be heavily restricted, especially in (formerly) embattled areas.
11-07-2020

https://www.swp-berlin.org/10. …