26 June 2026

On the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Cedar Centre for Legal Studies (CCLS), with the support of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Beirut, organized a side event titled “The Role of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Promoting Human Rights and Combating Torture in Lebanon” at the Geneva Press Club on 26 June 2026. The discussion highlighted persistent torture practices in Lebanon despite legal prohibitions, the weak implementation of Law No. 65/2017, and the upcoming UPR as an opportunity to strengthen accountability. The event was held both in person and online, bringing together experts from the United Nations and representatives of international organizations. The discussion highlighted human rights and humanitarian issues affecting North Lebanon, with a particular focus on torture prevention, accountability, survivors’ rights, and the implementation of Lebanon’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations.

Saadeddine Shatila:

Saadeddine Shatila, Executive Director of Cedar Centre for Legal Studies, spoke about the role of the Centre in combating torture and promoting human rights. He highlighted its core programs, including the Support and Rehabilitation Program for Victims of Torture and the Legal Protection and Rehabilitation Program for Refugees and Migrants, alongside efforts to document cases of torture and ill-treatment, monitor arbitrary detention, and provide legal assistance. He noted that the Rehabilitation Centre has so far delivered 266 medical consultations and physiotherapy sessions and 612 psychosocial support sessions, emphasizing that these figures continue to change daily with the arrival of new cases.

He presented the timeline of Lebanon’s fourth Universal Periodic Review, beginning with national consultations in September 2025, followed by the submission of state and stakeholder reports in October and November 2025, the review of Lebanon in Geneva in January 2026, and the adoption of the outcome report in June 2026.

He outlined the key recommendations related to torture, including calls to strengthen the independence and effectiveness of the National Human Rights Institution, ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, fully implement Anti-Torture Law No. 65/2017, improve prison conditions, end impunity, and ensure monitoring bodies have access to detention facilities. He also noted recommendations to end the trial of civilians before military courts and to reinforce fair trial guarantees.

He then addressed the gaps between legal texts and actual implementation, stressing that while laws exist, enforcement remains weak. Torture cases continue to be referred to military courts without serious investigations. Article 47 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is regularly violated during arrests and interrogations. Civilians are still tried before military courts, lawyers face restrictions, and enforced disappearance cases remain investigated despite the adoption of Law 105. Refugees and migrants continue to face refoulement and summary deportations, oversight bodies remain ineffective, and UN reports have not been published.

Finally, he presented Lebanon’s response to the UPR recommendations in June 2026. The state supported recommendations on torture prevention and detention conditions, as well as strengthening the National Human Rights Institution and ratifying the Convention on Enforced Disappearance. However, it only noted the recommendations concerning the limitation of military court jurisdiction, without full commitment.

The event featured a visual presentation produced using AI artificial intelligence technologies, which recounted the stories of two torture victims who died as a result of the abuses they endured. The video highlighted the victims’ suffering and the lasting impact of torture, underscoring the urgent need to combat such practices and strengthen accountability.

The presentation drew strong engagement from the audience, who expressed interest in the content, noting that it reflects the gravity of torture in Lebanon.

Mohamad Sablouh:

Mohammad Sablouh, Head of the Legal Support Program at Cedar Center for Legal Studies, addressed the gap between the legal framework and its practical implementation in combating torture in Lebanon. He began by reviewing the United Nations Convention against Torture, which Lebanon acceded to in 2000, explaining that it defines torture as any act causing severe physical or mental pain or suffering for the purpose of obtaining information or a confession, or for punishment or intimidation, when committed by or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official. He noted that Lebanon’s accession to the Convention imposed legal obligations to adopt legislative, judicial, and administrative measures to prevent torture, prosecute perpetrators, and ensure redress for victims.

He then discussed Law No. 65/2017, enacted on September 19, 2017, as Lebanon’s legislative framework criminalizing torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The law was adopted in line with Lebanon’s obligations under the Convention, aiming to provide legal protection for victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and guarantee victims’ rights to compensation and rehabilitation.

Sablouh emphasized that the core problem lies in the continued occurrence of torture and ill‑treatment despite Lebanon’s international commitments and national law prohibiting such practices, questioning why they persist under this legal framework.

He highlighted the legal safeguards against torture, noting that Article 47 of the Code of Criminal Procedure guarantees suspects the right to contact a lawyer, inform a family member, and undergo a medical examination when necessary, while Article 32 reinforces fair trial guarantees and respect for due process. However, he pointed out that these safeguards are routinely circumvented: detainees are denied contact with lawyers or relatives, coerced into waiving their rights, held beyond the legal detention limits, and subjected to torture to extract confessions, all amid weak judicial accountability.

He also addressed challenges in proving torture crimes, citing the absence of specialized forensic doctors trained in the Istanbul and Minnesota Protocols, the failure to adopt forensic medicine draft laws proposed since 2000, and the lack of a national forensic institute. He noted ongoing efforts to secure funding for such an institute in coordination with Lebanese authorities.

Sablouh explained that Cedar Center, along with human rights organizations and lawyers, has filed numerous torture complaints in recent years, but most have not led to effective prosecutions, perpetuating impunity. He referenced the death of Mohammad Harqous in January 2026, which was not prosecuted under the anti‑torture law, and the case of Bashar Abdul Saud, one of the few instances where judicial action was taken due to media and rights‑based pressure. He also mentioned the arrest of poet Abdulrahman Yusuf al‑Qaradawi, which raised concerns about the risk of forced deportation and disregard for judicial safeguards, particularly for Syrians wanted by authorities.

He concluded that the persistence of such violations reflects a lack of political and judicial will, weak investigations, impunity, and disregard for procedural safeguards, especially during the first hours of detention.

Sablouh ended his remarks with a set of recommendations, including amending the anti‑torture law in line with human rights organizations’ observations to fully implement the Convention against Torture, establishing a national forensic institute and training specialized forensic doctors according to international standards, obligating the Ministers of Interior, Justice, and Defense to hold security and judicial bodies accountable for non‑compliance with the law and to prosecute those responsible for violations, and reaffirming the Lebanese government’s responsibility to protect poet Abdulrahman Yusuf al‑Qaradawi and to uphold the principle of non‑refoulement by refusing to hand over any person to a state where they may face torture.

Maeva Réné‑Barry:

Maeva Réné-Barry, UN Program Manager at the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), presented the Survivors’ Charter of Rights of Victims and Survivors of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. She discussed the survivor-led global process behind the Charter, which involved 42 survivors from 36 countries, the collaboration with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. She also presented the Charter’s seven-rights framework for survivors,and the importance of survivor-centred standards and the Charter’s use in advocacy and legal reform.

Samira Mouaci:

Samira Mouaci, Civic Space Unit, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), presented on the importance of an enabling civic space for the prevention of human rights violations, including torture, and the role of human rights defenders and civil society organizations in promoting accountability and the implementation of international human rights commitments. She discussed the role of civic space in advancing human rights and accountability, the challenges faced by human rights defenders and civil society actors, international standards and UN mechanisms for their protection, and the importance of creating an enabling environment for monitoring, reporting, and advocacy against torture and ill-treatment.

Michael Khambatta

Michael Khambatta, Geneva Representative for the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), provided an overview of the outcomes of Lebanon’s fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle and the role of international mechanisms in supporting implementation and accountability. He discussed the UPR outcomes and adopted recommendations, torture-related recommendations within the international human rights framework, the role of UN mechanisms and States in the follow-up process, comparative practices for implementing UPR recommendations, and opportunities for sustained monitoring and accountability.

Mayssa Achek, International Advocacy Officer at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), moderated the session, delivered the opening remarks, and guided the discussion among representatives of Cedar Centre for Legal Studies (CCLS), the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), and other invited speakers. She also delivered the closing remarks on behalf of the organizers.

A delegation from Cedar Centre for Legal Studies (CCLS), comprising Executive Director Saadeddine Shatila and Head of the Legal Support Program Mohamad Sablouh, will attend the adoption of Lebanon’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) outcome at the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on 30 June 2026 in Geneva.