Father of three sent back to Syria for buying 5 packages of smuggled cigarettes

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Omer Hammud is thirty years old. He came to Türkiye from Syria 11 years ago together with his wife and one child legally. He obtained a residence permit in Türkiye as a temporary refugee.

He settled in Samandıra, İstanbul, and worked as a driver in a factory.

They have two more children in Türkiye.

His eldest child and the smallest born in Türkiye are disabled; they both go through health checks regularly.

Sent back to Syria involuntarily

Hammud had escaped death and established a new life for his family but this January 22, he returned back where he started.

With the elections approaching, the government is taking steps following the promises of the opposition parties that "they will be sending the Syrian refugees back." 

The Interior Ministry has sent back over 500 thousand Syrians since April last year, making them sign a return document, involuntarily in many cases.

Omer Hammud is one of those sent back.

He was pushed back to Syria from the border being told that he signed a return document although he did not sign it.

Left-back with three small children

Omer Hammud's wife Halime Hammud says that her husband was deported only because he had bought five packages of smuggled cigarettes.

"My husband buys those 5 packages because they are cheaper, only five. He comes across a check stop and the police see the cigarettes and ask why he buys smuggled cigarettes. They say they will take him to the police station, take his statement and let him go," she says.

Halime Hammud goes on to say, "My husband is not afraid, he goes with the police but they send him to the Tuzla Immigration Center. He stayed there for two days, they wanted him to sign a document, and they told him he would stay in camps for months if he doesn't. My husband does not sign it, he tells them we have children, and that they are sick. And they say OK you can stay.

"Then one night again they ask everyone, "Who is going to sign?" My husband does not sign. They put him on a bus with 40 other people. My husband tells that he has not signed but they show him a paper and say you have signed it. They leave him on the Syrian border.

Omer Hammud is staying in the Atme Camp in a tent now, informs his wife.

She says, "I have three children, two are sick, and my elder child suffers seizures. I cannot stay here if my husband does not come, I have to go. But we do not have a life there either. My children are very small, I want them to let my husband return. We did not harm anyone in Türkiye. We will die if we go." (RT/PE)