29 January 2025
Mohammed Khan
[FYI request #29511 email]
DOIA-REQ-0007470
Tēnā koe Mohammed,
Thank you for your request on 10 December 2024 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment (MBIE) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:
Since the defeat of the Syrian government by 'israel' and its American and takfiri terrorist
proxies, there have been a number of news articles where supporters of the Abu Sakkar
Brigades and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have celebrated the victory of 'Israel' over Syria.
‘Finally, we’ve made it’: Syrians in NZ celebrate dictator’s downfall | The Post
As the groups these persons support are now in control of Syria, it does not seem necessary to
continue to grant them refugee status (although supporters of a free and independent Syria
are now obviously in grave danger in that nation).
1) Is Immigration NZ taking any action to halt applications or renewals of asylum status for
persons who claimed asylum on the basis of their persecution for supporting 'israeli'
sponsored 'opposition' groups like ISIS, ﺔﻴﻃﺍﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟﺍ ﺎﻳﺭﻮﺳ ﺕﺍﻮﻗ ,ﻡﺎﺸﻟﺍ ﺮﻳﺮﺤﺗ ﺔﺌﻴﻫ,
and other
anti-Syrian groups?
2) If no action has yet been taken, please provide communications to date within Immigration
NZ and with external parties in regards the handling of asylum claims for opponents of the
now-deposed government of the Syrian Arab Republic, and how asylum claims for Christians
and other religious minorities who will now be persecuted; raped, tortured, murdered and
cannibalized by the new regime the 'Syrian opposition' supports will now be handled.
To minimize the search required, in regards #2 I am restricting my query to only cover the
period since the escalation of terrorist attacks against Syria on November 27 of this year.
Our Response
All asylum claims are considered on a case-by-case basis and determined on their own individual facts
and merits in accordance with New Zealand law. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is continuing to process
all refugee and protection claims from Syrian nationals. As part of our usual procedure for determining
asylum claims, INZ continues to consider the latest country information about Syria and any character
issues that may engage the exclusion provisions of Article 1F o
f the Refugee Convention.
For more information about the processing of refugee and protection claims in New Zealand, please see
the INZ website:
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/preparing-a-visa-application/living-in-new-
zealand-permanently/information-for-refugees-and-asylum-seekers/asylum-seekers
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Regarding part two of your request, please refer to the attached appendix for the requested
information. Some information has been either marked out of scope or withheld under section 9(2)(a)
of the Act to protect the privacy of natural persons, and under section 9(2)(g)(ii) to maintain the effective
conduct of public affairs through the protection of employees from improper pressure or harassment.
I do not consider that the withholding of this information is outweighed by public interest considerations
in making the information available.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802
602.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, please contac
t [email address]
Nāku noa, nā
Fiona Whiteridge
General Manager Refugee and Migrant Services
Immigration New Zealand
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
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