Dubai: A Syrian prisoner who is awaiting deportation says he has to go back to his home country because the Syrian Consulate here is refusing to renew his passport.

The 26-year old has the option of going to any country who will accept him but first he needs to go to Syria to have his passport renewed. He says he is scared to death of returning there.

Mohammad Nasser Ali, who has been living here for almost six years, was involved in a forgery case and sentenced to six months in jail by a Sharjah court to be followed by deportation.

Ali told Gulf News from his cell in Sharjah jail he was given an option by Sharjah Police to go to any country who would accept him.

“I’m not forced by police here to be deported to Syria and I was given all options to go to any country who will accept me,” said Ali.

However, Ali’s passport has expired and the Syrian Consulate is refusing to renew it.

“I need a valid passport to travel to another country rather than my own country,” he said.

Police said they sent their agent to the Syrian Consulate in Dubai to renew the prisoner’s passport but the consulate officials said they could not renew it and that Ali must travel to Syria via an outpass issued from the Syrian Consulate.

The inmate says he has tried to contact the consulate but they never pick up the phone. He says if he goes to Syria he will be arrested because he has to serve his military service.

“My family have already left Syria, some of them are in Jordan and some went to Egypt,” said Ali.

Ali added that he does not have any contact with his family and he does not know how to find them.

“I’m afraid and scared to death of going back to Syria,” he said.

He said he has pleaded with the Syrian Consulate to renew his passport so he can go to Egypt, which will be a safe place for him.

“My life will be in danger — if I go to Syria it means I’m going to my death,” he said.

He said he has not been to Syria since he came to the UAE.

He claims the forgery case arose because he was cheated by a man who asked him to buy mobile phones for him using credit cards. Ali said it transpired the credit cards did not belong to the man.

“I was involved in the case and I served six months in jail. I’ve been waiting to leave for almost 20 days and the jail authority said they have tried to help me out but renewing my passport is not in their hands,” said Ali.

Ali said he does not mind being deported but he just wants his passport to be renewed.

“I’m not fighting my deportation because it is ruled by the court but I’m urging the Syrian Consulate to renew my passport so I can go to find my family in Egypt or maybe in Jordan,” he said.

No one from the Syrian Consulate was available to comment on the issue.