In the past two months, the Turkish Authorities have escalated their crackdown on Syrian refugees living in Istanbul arresting thousands and giving them an ultimatum until August 20th to move to the cities they obtained residency in when they first arrived into Turkey OR face deportations back to Syria. The deadline is now extended to the end of October.

But the crackdown left thousands of Syrian refugees fearful for their future and the possibility of uprooting their families for the second time. Turkey hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees, an estimated 3.6 million people. Human Rights organizations are also reporting that Turkey is deporting Syrians back into Syria, a charge the Turkish government denies… International law prohibits the forcible return of anyone to a place where they would face a real risk of persecution,or a threat to life.

To understand the background of these crackdowns and the status of Syrians in Turkey we speak with Professor Ayşen Üstübici. She is an Assistant Professor at Koç University Department of Sociology and the Department of Political Science. She is the author of The Governance of International Migration: Irregular Migrants' Access to Right to Stay in Turkey and Morocco (University of Amsterdam Press).

Next, we air the first episode of ‘Mal Amal’ a podcast about migrant labor in Jordan. The podcast is produced by the Arab podcast platform Sowt (or voice), with support from the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

But first, to learn more about the idea behind the podcast ‘Mal Amal’ and which focuses on the struggles of migrant workers in Jordan, I Reached Sowt’s Executive Director Ramsey Tesdell in Amman Jordan.

For more 'Mal Amal' episodes: https://soundcloud.com/sowtpodcasts/sets/malamal-english