Cedar Centre for Legal Studies (CCLS) participated in the UPR Info pre-session held in Geneva on 27 November 2025, which was attended by several permanent missions to the UN, including Lebanon, as well as local and international organizations. CCLS joined the panel from other 5 representatives from non-government organizations briefing permanent missions on key human rights concerns in Lebanon. The Executive Director of CCLS, Mr. Saadeddine Shatila, discussed issues related to torture and arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and the rights of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. He urged Lebanon to cooperate with international bodies and fully implement relevant legislation.

The intervention focused on ongoing patterns of torture and arbitrary detention, along with the growing violations impacting migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, including the absence of a national refugee law, rising hate speech, and discriminatory practices that continued to put people at risk.

After participating in the UPR Info pre-session, the Cedar Centre for Legal Studies (CCLS) also held bilateral meetings with several local and international organizations, as well as with the permanent missions of Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Denmark, and Switzerland.

The Significance of UPR Info Pre-Session

The UPR Info pre-session organized by UPR-Info serves as a crucial platform for civil society to engage directly with diplomatic missions in advance of each country’s Universal Periodic Review. By presenting evidence-based concerns, organizations such as the Cedar Centre for Legal Studies (CCLS) influenced the recommendations later raised during the formal review before the Human Rights Council. These sessions enhanced transparency, deepened dialogue on priority human rights violations, and ensured that the voices of affected communities were conveyed to international decision-makers.

Lebanon’s Key Human Rights Concerns

During its intervention, the Cedar Centre for Legal Studies (CCLS) underscored several urgent issues requiring international attention. These included persistent reports of torture and ill-treatment in detention facilities, widespread arbitrary detention practices, particularly affecting vulnerable groups, and escalating violations against migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees.

CCLS emphasized that the absence of a national refugee law continues to expose thousands to legal uncertainty, while rising hate speech, incitement, and discriminatory measures further endanger marginalized communities. Taken together, these patterns reflect a broader deterioration in rights protections across the country and underscore the pressing need for sustained international engagement and follow-up.

Why This Intervention Mattered?

Participation in the UPR Info pre-sessions enabled civil society to shape the review at a decisive stage, before states finalized the positions, they would present during the Universal Periodic Review that will be held on 19 January 2026. By submitting detailed documentation, Cedar Centre for Legal Studies (CCLS) sought to reinforce accountability for violations, urge states to address gaps in Lebanon’s legal and institutional frameworks, and promote reforms that safeguard vulnerable populations. This engagement ensured that the UPR process reflected the lived realities of victims and marginalized communities, while amplifying calls for meaningful international follow-up.

CCLS Statement:

During the UPR Info pre-session on 27 November 2025, CCLS shared its statement highlighting key human rights concerns in Lebanon, including torture and arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and violations against migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. The statement was distributed to the missions both in hard copy and electronic formats.

Read the full statement here.

CCLS Recommendations:

The Cedar Centre for Legal Studies (CCLS) actively contributed to Lebanon’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process by submitting its recommendations during the pre-session. These recommendations addressed accountability for torture and arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and the protection of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees.

To reinforce its advocacy, CCLS distributed this fact sheet at the UPR info session. The document provided participants with evidence-based findings, documented cases, and concrete proposals for reform, ensuring that stakeholders were equipped with reliable information to guide discussions and strengthen calls for Lebanon to uphold its international human rights obligations.

Full recommendations are available here.