The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on Tuesday that Turkey had unlawfully repatriated a Syrian refugee after forcing him to sign a document that said he was returning voluntarily, Reuters reported.

The Strasbourg-based court ordered Turkey to pay around 12,250 euros ($12,940) including costs and expenses to Muhammad Fawzi Akkad, who has now applied for asylum in Germany.

The ECHR said Akkad had fled the war in Syria to Turkey in 2014 and was arrested as he tried to cross the Greek border in June 2018.

He was brought to Hatay province, near the Syrian border, and made to sign a document he did not understand and which turned out be a form for his voluntary return, it said.