Europe’s Human Rights Watchdog Calls on Cyprus to Let Migrants Stuck in UN Buffer Zone Seek Asylum

The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, has urged Cyprus to allow nearly three dozen migrants, primarily from Syria, Iran, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Cameroon, to seek asylum after being stranded for months in a UN-controlled buffer zone, Arab News reported yesterday.

In a letter to President Nikos Christodoulides, O’Flaherty highlighted the poor living conditions faced by the 35 individuals, including children, who struggle to access basic necessities like formula milk and diapers.

Despite Cyprus’s efforts to manage migration, O’Flaherty emphasized the government’s obligation under international law to provide effective access to asylum procedures. Earlier this year, Cyprus suspended asylum applications from Syrian nationals after granting protection to 14,000 Syrians over the last decade. The Cypriot government has stated it is taking steps to resolve the situation while maintaining strict measures to deter irregular crossings through the buffer zone.