The situation of refugees in Turkey in General by Renee
Each year, millions of people over 40 countries come to seek asylum in Turkey. However, as Turkey has imposed a geographical limitation the Refugee Convention of 1951, refugees from countries outside of Europe are not eligible to receive international protection of the Government of Turkey. They must then turn to the UN High Commission for Refugees to protect them. Refugees must also apply for temporary asylum to the Turkish authorities to be allowed to stay in Turkey while the UNHCR assesses their situation. During this period they must live in one of 30villes satellites in Turkey must obtain permission from the police to travel out of satellite where they are, in some cities the police does not give permission. When their cases are decided both refugee status is granted and they are resettled in another country (USA, Canada, and Australia), or their application is rejected and must leave Turkey. The parallel procedures of UNHCR and the Turkish government on asylum applications are complex, and many asylum are waiting months or years that their applications are processed. During their wait, the living conditions difficult and dangerous drive many to risk their lives trying to enter Europe illegally; many die while crossing the sea and some are killed by police in the forests. Those who are detained while trying to leave the country are particularly vulnerable to repression because of significant barriers to legal aid. To complicate matters, NGOs are generally denied entry to detention centers. Even the UNHCR must often wait months for permission to enter the detention centers to interview asylum seekers. Neither the UNHCR nor the NGOs have the right to access to detained asylum seekers in transit zones of airports in Turkey. Turkey is home to an increasing number of asylum seekers who have to survive in a big material and moral misery. In the satellite cities there is no place to stay for refugees. For refugees coming from Iraq the process with UNHCR is more quickly than others refugees coming from African and some Asian country.
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