Within hours of al-Assad fleeing Damascus, a number of European countries announced the suspension of asylum requests from Syrians, with some even calling for the immediate deportation of refugees. With the establishment of a new transitional government in Syria, uncertainty about the status of millions of refugees who escaped the conflict that began in 2011 remains.

But is Syria safe to return to? And what protections do refugees have under international law?

This week on UpFront, Marc Lamont Hill talks with the director of Human Rights Watch’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Division, Bill Frelick, about the current situation and challenges faced by Syrian refugees.