Report Reveals Syrian Refugees Tortured in Lebanon

An estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees live in Lebanon (Wikipedia)

A report released by Amnesty International on March 23 claims that many Syrian refugees in Lebanon have been arbitrarily detained and subjected to torture due to suspicions of terrorism. Interviewees gave detailed reports of the physical trauma inflicted on them by Lebanese security forces, which included beatings, special torture devices, and psychological trauma. Lebanon faced accusations of torturing prisoners before, which resulted in condemnation from the UN, though the Lebanese government denies any such use of the practice and has an official government body to prevent the use of torture. 

According to the testimony of those interviewed, none were ever informed of the reasons for their arrest before being sent to a military court. Lebanon routinely uses military courts to put civilians on trial, which, compared to civilian courts, have an increased risk of the usage of torture due to minimal government oversight. 

Those arrested were accused of being members of either terrorist organizations or factions currently fighting the Syrian government. The interviewees claimed that their captors ardently asserted that they were terrorists and tortured them to bring out a confession. Officially, Lebanon is neutral in the Syrian Civil War, though Hezbollah, which is stationed in the country, has given some support to the Syrian government. However, some of the fighting has occasionally spilled over onto Lebanese territory. In 2014, the Islamic State (ISIS) crossed the border and occupied the town of Arsal, taking government troops hostage. Although the government quickly recaptured the city, most detainees claimed that their captors accused them of having been members of the invading force.

Part of this violation of the presumption of innocence may be the result of courts overwhelmed by cases. One detainee stated that a military court official admitted to having more than 6,800 cases to review and that he could not review them all before their trials began. This has led to trial delays lasting from two weeks to up to five years. 

Due in part to its geographic proximity to some of the most fought-over areas in Syria, a 2018 report estimates that 1.5 million refugees live in Lebanon. Of these, 74 percent lack legal status. Nine out of 10 live in extreme poverty, a statistic that had dramatically worsened as the ongoing economic crisis leaves them particularly vulnerable. 

Additionally, as the number of school-age refugees increases, the Lebanese school system has buckled under the strain. A Ministry of Education and Higher Education fact sheet placed the gap between available funds and funds necessary to admit their target goal of admitting 40,000 more Syrian children at $30,055,613.