This quarterly newsletter highlights the Cedar Centre for Legal Studies’ continued efforts in defending human rights, promoting justice, and supporting victims of torture and violations across Lebanon and beyond.

One of the most significant milestones during this period was the official launch of the Tripoli CCLS Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture. Located in North Lebanon, the Centre provides a safe and comprehensive space for survivors of torture and ill-treatment. It offers a multidisciplinary range of services including medical consultations, physiotherapy, psychological support, legal assistance, and access to essential treatments — all tailored to support the physical, emotional, and social recovery of victims through a survivor-centered approach.

Throughout this period, CCLS also addressed several critical and urgent cases. The Centre raised strong objections to the unlawful extradition of poet and activist Abdulrahman Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, who was deported from Lebanon to the UAE under concerning circumstances. It also documented the disappearance of Abdulhamid Khateeb, a young Syrian man who went missing while attempting irregular migration through Libya. Furthermore, CCLS closely monitored the judicial proceedings in the case of Bashar Abed Saoud, a Syrian refugee who died under torture in Lebanese custody, exposing serious gaps in accountability and the implementation of anti-torture laws.

The Centre organized a public solidarity event in Tripoli on the International Day of Commemoration for the Dead and Missing at Borders and at Sea. This gathering brought together the families of missing migrants, civil society actors, artists, and human rights defenders, to collectively honor the memory of those lost at sea and demand justice and state recognition.

In addition to its field work, CCLS contributed to international human rights platforms, submitting a joint report to the United Nations Human Rights Council addressing the phenomenon of missing migrants in the Mediterranean. It also published several in-depth reports during this period, covering issues such as torture, enforced disappearances, migrant rights, discrimination, hate speech, and legal violations in Lebanon.

The newsletter also highlights CCLS’s vocal support for independent media and freedom of expression, reaffirming its solidarity with journalists and platforms facing intimidation and legal harassment for their reporting.

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