In Liban, “Cruel and discriminatory treatment” are castigated by Amnesty International. In a new report published on Tuesday March 23, the international organization denounced arbitrary detentions and “Acts of torture” inflicted in Lebanon on twenty Syrian refugees.
It details the cases of 26 Syrians – including four minors and two women – detained from a few months to several years between 2014 and today on charges “Linked to terrorism”. Among them, six men are still behind bars.
With the exception of one case, the refugees interviewed reported “Acts of torture” during interrogation or their detention, assures Amnesty, pointing the finger at military intelligence, general security and the Lebanese defense ministry. Some detainees claimed to have been hung up by the wrists, others reported “Beatings with iron bars, electric cables and plastic pipes”.
“Four men claimed to have been beaten on their “sensitive parts” “ (genitals), the report points out, and four inmates recounted “To have fainted” under the effect of blows. “The detainees said they had undergone some of the torture techniques commonly used in Syrian prisons”, deplores Amnesty.
“Arbitrary” detentions and arrests
Arrests often took place after 2014, when the war in neighboring Syria spilled over into Lebanon. The Islamic State (IS) group and the Al-Nosra Front (ex-Al-Qaeda branch in Syria) had invaded the Lebanese border town of Aarsal (east), capturing soldiers and police. The Lebanese army and the Shiite Hezbollah movement then launched military operations.
While recognizing that “Members of armed groups” must be held to account, Amnesty blames the Lebanese authorities “Total disregard for international human rights law”. Amnesty claims to have contacted the Lebanese ministers of interior, defense and justice for a reaction to its investigation.
In addition to torture, the organization mentions detentions and arrests “Arbitrary”, sometimes on the basis of “Reports provided by informants or cell phone content”. “In nine cases, the mere fact of expressing political opposition to the Syrian government was regarded as evidence to justify a charge for terrorist counts”, deplores Amnesty. At least fourteen detainees told Amnesty that they had ” “confessed”, after being tortured or threatened “.
Lebanon says it hosts 1.5 million Syrians, including nearly a million refugees. Nine out of ten live in extreme poverty, according to the UN, and organizations regularly denounce the discrimination they face.
