Home Documentation and Recordkeeping Issues Affecting Refugees in Turkey: A Review
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Documentation and Recordkeeping Issues Affecting Refugees in Turkey: A Review

  • Krystell Jiménez

    Krystell Jiménez graduated with a Master’s of Library and Information Studies from the UCLA Department of Information Studies in 2019 and is a student researcher of the Refugee Rights in Records project at the UCLA Center for Information as Evidence. Prior to that she lived in Turkey for several years, where she came to learn much about the challenges and workarounds that refugees use to solve their documentation problems. She has helped friends and family in navigating complex asylum and immigration processes, and as a result has extensive personal experience with many of the challenges discussed in this review.

    EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: July 8, 2019

Abstract

This report examines the recordkeeping issues facing refugees, displaced persons, and asylum seekers who have either applied for asylum while residing in Turkey or transiting through. There is a high degree of interdependency between types of documents, particularly birth certificates, marriage certificates, and identity documents. The challenges faced by Syrian and non-Syrian refugees can be distinctive, suggesting a need for more targeted interventions. The report’s recommendations confirm Sakena Alalawi and Anne Gilliland’s findings and point to a pressing need for archive-to-archive collaboration to increase accessibility of records; to lobby those who make policy, adjudicate asylum cases and vet refugees for resettlement to consider alternate forms of documentation that might be presented by a records advocate working on a case; and to develop new forms of certification for relevant digitized documents.

About the author

Krystell Jiménez

Krystell Jiménez graduated with a Master’s of Library and Information Studies from the UCLA Department of Information Studies in 2019 and is a student researcher of the Refugee Rights in Records project at the UCLA Center for Information as Evidence. Prior to that she lived in Turkey for several years, where she came to learn much about the challenges and workarounds that refugees use to solve their documentation problems. She has helped friends and family in navigating complex asylum and immigration processes, and as a result has extensive personal experience with many of the challenges discussed in this review.

References

Ahval. “BBC Buys Fake Refugee Documents in Istanbul.” May 22, 2018, available at https://ahvalnews.com/refugees/bbc-buys-fake-refugee-documents-istanbul.Search in Google Scholar

Alalawi, Sakena. “Struggles with Documents: A Review of Documentation Issues Affecting Refugees and Displaced Persons from Arab Middle East Countries.” Working paper photocopy, Records and ICT at the Boundaries of the State: Refugee Needs, Rights and Uses Project, University of California Los Angeles, May 2018, available at https://informationasevidence.org/refugee-rights-in-records.Search in Google Scholar

Al Omar, Asmaa, and Shawn Carrie. “It’s Against the Law: Syrian Refugees Deported from Turkey Back to War.” The Guardian, October 16, 2018, available at https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/oct/16/syrian-refugees-deported-from-turkey-back-to-war.Search in Google Scholar

Asylum Information Database. “Turkey: UNHCR Ends Registration of Non-Syrian Asylum Seekers.” News, September 8, 2018, available at https://www.asylumineurope.org/news/08-09-2018/turkey-unhcr-ends-registration-non-syrian-asylum-seekers.Search in Google Scholar

Bosma, Ulbe, Jan Lucassen, and Gert Oostindie, eds. Postcolonial Migrants and Identity Politics: Europe, Russia, Japan and the United States in Comparison. New York, NY: Berghahn Books, 2012.10.3167/9780857453273Search in Google Scholar

Bozarslan, Mahmut. “Is Turkey Refusing to Register New Syrian Refugees?” Al-Monitor, July 27, 2018, available at https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/07/turkey-syria-ankara-refusing-new-syrian-immigrants.html.Search in Google Scholar

CBC Radio. “Gay Refugee Couple to be Separated Because Turkey Doesn’t Recognize Them as a Family.” June 18, 2018, available at http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.4707821/gay-refugee-couple-to-be-separated-because-turkey-doesn-t-recognize-them-as-a-family-1.4704387.Search in Google Scholar

Cetingulec, Mehmet. “Fate of Syrian Refugees Hot Election Topic in Turkey.” Al-Monitor, June 8, 2–18, available at https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/06/turkey-elections-fate-syrian-refugees-hot-topic.html.Search in Google Scholar

Collett, Elizabeth. “The Paradox of the EU-Turkey Refugee Deal.” Migration Policy Institute, March 2016, available at https://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/paradox-eu-turkey-refugee-deal.Search in Google Scholar

Çetin, Tan. “İstanbul’da Afgan İşçi Pazarı.” VoA, April 30, 2018, available at https://www.amerikaninsesi.com/a/i%CC%87stanbul-da-afgan-i%CC%87%C5%9F%C3%A7i-pazar%C4%B1/4371135.html.Search in Google Scholar

Çosan, Burak. “İstanbul’un ortasında: Günlük 50 TL için bunu yapıyorlar.” Hürriyet, April 20, 2018, available at http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/ekonomi/iste-afgan-isci-pazari-40812221.Search in Google Scholar

———. “Istanbul’s Esenyurt Sees More Syrians Taking up Return Scheme.” Daily Sabah, September 13, 2018, available at https://www.dailysabah.com/istanbul/2018/09/14/istanbuls-esenyurt-sees-more-syrians-taking-up-return-scheme.Search in Google Scholar

European Commission. “De Facto Refugee.” Migration and Home Affairs, available at https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/content/de-facto-refugee_en (last modified 12/7/18).Search in Google Scholar

———. “EU Announces More Projects under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey: €348 Million in Humanitarian Aid to Refugees in Turkey,” Press Releases, September 8, 2016, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-2971_en.htm.Search in Google Scholar

———. “Questions and Answers: Support for Refugees in Turkey through the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN),” Press Releases, September 8, 2016, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-2989_en.htm.Search in Google Scholar

Feldman, Emily. “The U.S. Breaks its Promise to Syrian Refugees in Turkey,” The New Yorker, February 1, 2017, available at https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-u-s-breaks-its-promise-to-syrian-refugees-in-turkey.Search in Google Scholar

———. “Turkey Hoards Well-Educated Syrians.” Politico, September 30, 2016, available at https://www.politico.eu/article/turkey-prevent-well-educated-syrian-refugees-from-leaving-migration/.Search in Google Scholar

Gilliland, Anne J. “A Matter of Life and Death: A Critical Examination of the Role of Official Records and Archives in Supporting the Forcibly Displaced.” Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies 1.2 (April 2017): 1–24; available at https://doi.org/10.24242/jclis.v1i2.36.10.24242/jclis.v1i2.36Search in Google Scholar

———. “Evidence and Exigency: Reconstructing and Reconciling Records for Life After Conflict.” In Emerging Trends in Archival Science, edited by Karen F. Gracy, 1–26. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017.Search in Google Scholar

Human Rights Watch. “Turkey: Mass Deportation of Syrians,” News, March 22, 2018, available at https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/22/turkey-mass-deportations-syrians.Search in Google Scholar

———. “Turkey: Education Barriers for Asylum Seekers – Afghan, Iranian Children Lack Status, Risk Child Labour,” News, May 31, 2017, available at https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/05/31/turkey-education-barriers-asylum-seekers.Search in Google Scholar

———. “Turkey Stops Registering Syrian Asylum Seekers.” News, July 16, 2018, available at https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/07/16/turkey-stops-registering-syrian-asylum-seekers.Search in Google Scholar

Kingsley, Patrick. “Turkey Blocks Syrian Refugees from Resettlement in the US – for Having Degrees.” The Guardian, September 19, 2016, available at https://www.theguardian.com/world/ 2016/sep/19/turkey-syrian-refugees-resettlement-blocked-us-degrees.Search in Google Scholar

Kirisci, Kemal. “UNHCR and Turkey: Cooperating for Improved Implementation of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees,” International Journal of Refugee Law 71 (2001): 71–97.10.1093/ijrl/13.1_and_2.71Search in Google Scholar

Madra, Aysel, Batuhan Aydagül, Didem Aksoy, and Nihal Kayalı. “Community Building Through Inclusive Education.” Eğitim Reformu Girişmi, 2016, available at https://indd.adobe.com/view/46316e2e-5eee-4528-928a-ccff039ec51b.Search in Google Scholar

Migration Data Portal. “Irregular Migration.” Themes: Types of Migration, available at https://migrationdataportal.org/themes/irregular-migration (last modified 10/5/18).Search in Google Scholar

Refugee Rights Turkey, Email Correspondence with Author, January 2018.Search in Google Scholar

Reynolds, Sarnata, and Daryl Grisgraber. “Birth Registration in Turkey: Protecting the Future for Syrian Children.” Field Report, Refugees International, April 30, 2015, available at https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/150430_turkey_birth_registration.pdf.Search in Google Scholar

Rösenberg, Andrea. “EU-Turkey Migrant Deal Done.” DW News, March 18, 2016. https://www.dw.com/en/eu-turkey-migrant-deal-done/a-19127595.Search in Google Scholar

Tsagkari, Alexia. “Unsafe Haven: Life and Death for LGBT Refugees.” Balkan Insight, January 23, 2018, available at http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/unsafe-haven-life-and-death-for-lgbt-refugees-12-14-2017.Search in Google Scholar

Turkey. Regulation No. 1994/6169 on the Procedures and Principles related to Possible Population Movements and Aliens Arriving in Turkey either as Individuals or in Groups Wishing to Seek Asylum Either from Turkey or Requesting Residence Permission in Order to Seek Asylum From Another Country, January 19, 1994, (Last amended 2006), available at http://www.refworld.org/docid/49746cc62.html (last accessed 10/14/18).Search in Google Scholar

UNHCR. “Forced Displacement above 68m in 2017, New Global Deal on Refugees Critical.” Press Release, available at http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/press/2018/6/5b27c2434/forced-displacement-above-68m-2017-new-global-deal-refugees-critical.html (last modified 6/19/18).Search in Google Scholar

———. “Provincial Breakdown of Refugees and Asylum-Seekers in Turkey.” UNHCR, November 10, 2017, available at http://www.refworld.org/docid/5a13e9614.html (last accessed).Search in Google Scholar

———. “Submission by the UNHCR For the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Compilation Report – Universal Periodic Review: The Republic of Turkey,” June 2014, available at http://www.refworld.org/docid/5541e6694.html (last accessed 10/14/18).Search in Google Scholar

———. “Turkey: Key Figures.” available at http://reporting.unhcr.org/node/2544?y=2018#year (last accessed 10/14/18).Search in Google Scholar

———. “Turkey: Strengthening a Quality Asylum System.” August 2018, available at http://www.unhcr.org/tr/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2018/09/03.-UNHCR-Turkey-Strengthening-a-Quality-Asylum-System-Fact-sheet-Au....pdf.Search in Google Scholar

———. “What is a Refugee?” Refugee Facts, available at https://www.unrefugees.org/refugee-facts/what-is-a-refugee/ (last modified 2018).Search in Google Scholar

———. “With 1 Human in Every 113 Affected, Forced Displacement Hits Record High.” Press Releases, available at http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/press/2016/6/5763ace54/1-human-113-affected-forced-displacement-hits-record-high.html (last modified 6/20/16).Search in Google Scholar

———. “3RP Regional Refugee & Resilience Plan 2018–2019 In Response to the Syria Crisis: Regional Strategic Overview.” 2018, available at http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/partners/donors/5a54c1957/2018-2019-regional-refugee-resilience-plan-response-syria-crisis.html.Search in Google Scholar

UNHCR Communication and Public Information Services. “Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees.” 2010, available at https://cms.emergency.unhcr.org/documents/11982/55726/Convention+relating+to+the+Status+of+Refugees+%28signed+28+July+1951%2C+entered+into+force+22+April+1954%29+189+UNTS+150+and+Protocol+relating+to+the+Status+of+Refugees+%28signed+31+January+1967%2C+entered+into+force+4+October+1967%29+606+UNTS+267/0bf3248a-cfa8-4a60-864d-65cdfece1d47 (last accessed 10/14/18).Search in Google Scholar

UNHCR Türkiye. “Social Economic and Civil Matters: Birth Registration.” Help, available at http://help.unhcr.org/turkey/social-economic-and-civil-matters/birth-registration/ (last accessed 10/14/18).Search in Google Scholar

———. “Social Economic and Civil Matters: Marriage and Divorce.” Help, available at http://help.unhcr.org/turkey/social-economic-and-civil-matters/marriage-and-divorce/ (last accessed 10/14/18).Search in Google Scholar

———. “UNHCR Türkiye: Kilit Veriler ve Sayılar.” İstatistikleri, available at http://www.unhcr.org/tr/unhcr-turkiye-istatistikleri (last modified July 2018).Search in Google Scholar

Zürcher, Erik J. The Young Turk Legacy and Nation Building: From the Ottoman Empire to Atatürk’s Turkey. New York, NY: I.B. Tauris, 2010.10.5040/9780755610761Search in Google Scholar

Published Online: 2019-07-08
Published in Print: 2019-07-26

© 2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Downloaded on 29.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/pdtc-2019-0001/html
Scroll to top button