UK Asylum Policy Faces Scrutiny as Syrian Christians Endure Brutal Persecution
The recent decision by the UK government to resume processing Syrian asylum claims has sparked intense debate, particularly in light of escalating violence against Christians in Syria. Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the Home Office paused decisions on over 7,000 Syrian asylum applications, citing uncertainty over the new Islamist-led government’s stability. Now, as the UK prepares to restart these processes and potentially enforce returns to Syria, concerns are mounting about the prioritisation of asylum seekers—specifically, why fighting-age Muslim men from Islamist-controlled regions appear to dominate approvals, while persecuted Christians, who share cultural and religious values with the UK, are left in limbo or overlooked.
Atrocities Against Christians in Syria
The plight of Syrian Christians has worsened significantly since the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), designated a terrorist organisation by the UK, led a rebel offensive to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. A particularly horrific incident occurred on 22 June 2025, when a suicide bomber attacked the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias in Damascus’s Dweila suburb. The assault, attributed to the Islamic State (IS), killed 24 worshippers, including Milad, a brave congregant who attempted to stop the attacker, and injured 60 others, among them 23-year-old Angie Awabde, who suffered shrapnel wounds and a broken leg. The attack marked the first targeted assault on Syria’s Christian community since the 1860 massacre under Ottoman rule, reigniting fears of sectarian violence.
Beyond this incident, Christians face systemic threats under the new HTS-led government, headed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Reports indicate a crackdown on social freedoms, including decrees restricting women’s beach attire, attacks on men for wearing shorts, and closures of bars serving alcohol. Videos circulating online show armed religious preachers promoting Islam in Christian neighbourhoods, with little government intervention. Archimandrite Meletius Shattahi, a senior figure in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, has accused the regime of failing to act, stating, “These are not individual incidents,” and linking government inaction to the church attack.
Historically, Syria’s Christian population, once comprising 10% of the country, has faced severe persecution. During the civil war, thousands were displaced by hardline Islamist groups like IS, and churches were bombed by both the Assad regime and its Russian allies, though rarely during services. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented ongoing sectarian violence, including atrocities against Christians, Druze, and Alawites, with hundreds killed in recent months.
UK Asylum Policy: A Question of Priorities
The UK’s decision to pause Syrian asylum claims in December 2024 left 7,386 Syrians in limbo, many housed in government-funded hotels. While the Home Office cites the need to assess risks in post-Assad Syria, critics argue that the policy disproportionately disadvantages religious minorities like Christians, who face clear persecution. Between 2011 and 2021, over 30,000 Syrians were granted asylum in the UK, primarily through humanitarian schemes or after crossing the Channel. However, a 2018 Freedom of Information request revealed that only 11 of 4,400 Syrian refugees admitted under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme were Christian, despite their “horrendous persecution.”
This disparity raises a critical question: why does the UK continue to grant asylum to large numbers of fighting-age Muslim men from Islamist-controlled regions, while Syrian Christians, whose values align closely with Britain’s Christian heritage, struggle to secure refuge? The Home Office’s updated guidance claims that Christians, along with Kurds, Druze, and Shia Muslims, are “unlikely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm from the state,” placing the burden on individuals to prove otherwise. Yet, the Damascus church attack and ongoing sectarian violence contradict this assessment, suggesting a disconnect between policy and reality.
Critics, including the Syrian British Consortium’s Haytham Alhamwi, argue that the UK’s approach risks overlooking those in genuine need. “Many Syrians are still calling for democratic change, which is not guaranteed under HTS,” Alhamwi said, highlighting the regime’s terrorist designation and its failure to protect minorities. The UK’s consideration of enforced returns to Syria by year-end, as noted by a senior Home Office source, further alarms campaigners who warn that Christians face extreme risks under the current regime.
A Clash of Values and Security Concerns
The UK’s asylum policy has long been a lightning rod for debate, with some arguing it prioritises political expediency over moral clarity. The Home Office’s fear of becoming a “more attractive” destination for Syrian migrants, as noted in discussions with European counterparts, has led to a cautious approach. French President Emmanuel Macron’s concerns about “pull factors” for small boat crossings underscore this tension. Yet, the focus on managing migration flows risks sidelining the plight of Christians, whose persecution aligns with the UN Refugee Convention’s criteria for a “well-founded fear of persecution.”
The Church of England has faced scrutiny for its role in asylum claims, particularly after allegations that conversions to Christianity are exploited to bolster applications. However, the Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, has denied systemic abuse, noting that clergy often refuse baptisms when conversions seem insincere. Meanwhile, figures like Prince Charles and the Archbishop of Canterbury have long highlighted the global persecution of Christians, with over 365 million facing harassment worldwide, according to Open Doors UK.
A Call for Fairness and Compassion
As the UK resumes processing Syrian asylum claims, the government must confront uncomfortable questions. Why are Christian refugees, who face documented atrocities and share Britain’s cultural and religious heritage, not prioritised over others who may not face equivalent risks? The 2018 data showing just 1 in 400 Syrian refugees admitted to the UK being Christian suggests a systemic failure to address their plight.
Charities like the Refugee Council urge case-by-case assessments to ensure fairness, with Enver Solomon emphasising the need to protect Syrians still at risk. For individuals like Tuka Fattal, a Syrian mother and engineer whose family fled persecution, the pause in claims has meant “slowly dying” in uncertainty. Her story, and those of countless Christians, underscores the human cost of policy delays.
The UK has a moral and legal obligation to offer refuge to those in genuine need. As Syria’s Christians face a new wave of Islamist-driven violence, the government must reassess its priorities, ensuring that asylum policies reflect both compassion and alignment with British values. Failure to do so risks abandoning a community in desperate need of sanctuary.
