On March 13, 2025, the Cyprus Port and Marine Police allegedly pushed back around 80 Syrian refugees at sea, according to the NGO Alarm Phone.

In light of these events, human rights organizations have condemned the alleged unlawful practices by Cypriot authorities, calling for accountability and emphasizing that Lebanon and Syria are unsafe for refugees.

An October 2024 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights found that Cyprus violated the rights of two Syrian asylum seekers by preventing them from seeking asylum and returning them to Lebanon.

During the incident, the refugees refused assistance from the Lebanese Coast Guard, fearing that they would be handed over to the Syrian regime, which they believed would lead to their persecution.

After being held at sea, a translator informed the refugees that Cyprus would not assist them; they were given water, life vests, and fuel before being abandoned near the border of Lebanese and Syrian waters.

Eventually, the refugees managed to reach land on their own, but they continue to live in fear of attacks.

Alarm Phone reported that Cypriot authorities provided misleading information about the refugees' status, claiming they had been taken to a camp, which was incorrect.

One survivor recounted being spotted by a helicopter and subsequently approached by the Cyprus Port and Marine Police, during which they requested asylum due to fears of persecution in Syria.

Despite their requests for asylum, survivors reported being intercepted in Cypriot territorial waters and towed back towards Lebanese and Syrian waters.

The refugees were traveling on two boats, one carrying approximately 36 people and the other about 50, when they were intercepted by police vessels, including one known as PV20.

This incident is part of a troubling pattern, as Cyprus has faced prior accusations of conducting pushbacks, including a UNHCR report from July 2024 detailing the forced removal of migrants without access to asylum.

The practice of 'pushback' refers to the forced return of migrants without allowing them to apply for asylum, often violating international laws like the principle of non-refoulement.