Austria has carried out the first deportation of a Syrian national to Syria since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, marking a precedent within the European Union. The individual, a 32-year-old man who had been granted asylum in 2014, had his asylum status revoked following multiple criminal convictions and was identified as a supporter of the Islamic State terrorist organization. Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner described the deportation as part of a strict and fair asylum policy aimed at removing convicted criminals. This move has raised concerns among human rights groups, who warn it could prompt other EU countries to follow suit. Subsequently, Germany announced it would begin deporting Syrians with criminal records, signaling a tougher stance on returning convicted asylum seekers to their home countries. Austria’s action is the first forced deportation to Syria by an EU member state in approximately 15 years, reflecting a shift in European policies toward criminal migrants from Syria and Afghanistan.