Syrian regime prevents refugees from getting university documents

Hundreds of Syrian refugees have been prevented from obtaining their university certificates or degree statements, Arabi21 reported yesterday.

Universities from neighbouring countries and the EU have been requesting Syrian educational institutes authenticate documents submitted by refugees. However the requests have gone unanswered. The move comes after the Syrian regime ordered universities not to issue certificates to members of the opposition.

Syrian students Mohamed Al-Hariri, who is a refugee in Turkey, said: “When the revolution started in Daraa in 2011, I was in the third year in Lattakia. Academics, most of whom are Alawites, changed their treatment of students involved in the opposition.”

“They accused us of inciting sectarianism. They sent 12 of us away and handed our files to the state security officers.”

Al-Hariri continued: “We fled Lattakia and I have been trying all means to get a degree statement, but I could never get one in order to pursue my studies in Turkey.” He has been told that his file has been “stamped” by state security.

A female Syrian journalist, who asked not to be named, fled to Germany after her sister’s arrest. She has since been trying to get her certificate from the Syrian university she graduated from in order to pursue a master’s degree however she has been told that her file needs to be reviewed by security officials before any documents can be issued.