- Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Tuesday 14 July 2015

Information on the current human rights/security situation in Jaramana

A Human Rights Watch report issued in March 2015 states:

“The city of Jaramana, located in Countryside governorate, is 10 kilometers southeast of the capital. Armed groups opposed to the government have not captured Jaramana but took over neighboring Mleha to the east, Beit Sahm to the south, and Ain Terma to the north, as part of their offensive on the area in 2012 and 2013…Since 2012, Jaramana, which historically has a predominately and Christian community, has had a large number of internally displaced persons who have escaped fighting in other parts of the country. There is also a significant minority of Iraqi refugees who have resided in the city since the start of the 2003 war” (Human Rights Watch (22 March 2015) “He Didn’t Have to Die”, Indiscriminate Attacks by Opposition Groups in Syria,p.14).

This document also states:

“Starting as early as spring 2012, anti-government armed groups neighboring the city have periodically subjected Jamarana to artillery shelling and car bombings” (ibid, p.14).

A report issued in June 2015 by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights states that:

“A man was killed by shells fell on Jaramana which wounded 10 people” (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (7 June 2015) Clashes in Jobar and eastern ).

A report issued in June 2015 by the Los Angles Times states that Jaramana is:

“…a strategic suburb southeast of Damascus” (Los Angles Times (21 June 2015) Syrian military and Druze allies join forces to fend off 'terrorists').

This document also notes that:

“Dozens have been killed in Jaramana by opposition car bombs and mortar strikes” (ibid).

In June 2015 a paper issued by the United Nations Human Rights Council points out that:

“Other areas of Damascus city, including Jaramana and Halboon, continue to be shelled by anti-Government armed groups, reportedly based in eastern Ghouta. In most instances, civilian casualties, including the death of children, have been recorded” (United Nations Human Rights Council (23 June 2015) Oral Update of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, p.6).

References

Human Rights Watch (22 March 2015) “He Didn’t Have to Die”, Indiscriminate Attacks by Opposition Groups in Syria https://www.hrw.org/report/2015/03/22/he-didnt-have-die/indiscriminate- attacks-opposition-groups-syria Accessed Tuesday 14 July 2015

Los Angles Times (21 June 2015) Syrian military and Druze allies join forces to fend off 'terrorists' http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-syria-south-20150621- story.html#page=1 Accessed Tuesday 14 July 2015

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (7 June 2015) Clashes in Jobar and eastern Ghouta http://www.syriahr.com/en/2015/06/clashes-in-jobar-and-eastern-ghouta/ Accessed Tuesday 14 July 2015

United Nations Human Rights Council (23 June 2015) Oral Update of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic http://www.refworld.org/docid/558aa6cc4.html Accessed Tuesday 14 July 2015

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Refugee Documentation Centre within time constraints. This response is not and does not purport to be conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please read in full all documents referred to.

Sources Consulted

Amnesty International BBC News Electronic Immigration Network European Country of Origin Information Network Freedom House Google Human Rights Watch Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre International Crisis Group IRIN News Lexis Nexis Minority Rights Group International Online Newspapers Refugee Documentation Centre E-Library Refugee Documentation Centre Query Database Reliefweb Regional Surveys of the World Reuters United Kingdom Home Office United States Department of State UNHCR Refworld ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �����������������������������������������������������