In a landmark ruling, the Administrative Court of Münster has denied subsidiary protection to a Syrian asylum seeker, marking the first time a German court has concluded that civilians in Syria are no longer at serious risk from civil war violence.

The court stated that the situation in Syria, particularly in the northeastern province of Hasaka, does not pose a significant threat to civilians, despite ongoing conflicts and occasional attacks.

This decision challenges the previous practice of granting subsidiary protection to Syrian refugees, which was based on the assumption of a general danger due to the civil war.

The court also noted that the individual in question was excluded from refugee status due to a prior conviction for human smuggling in Austria.

This ruling could have significant implications for future asylum cases involving Syrian nationals in Germany.