11/10/2023

A.S, is a Syrian defected officer. He was serving with Syrian Intelligence forces before he fled to Lebanon in 2014.

Years later, he registered with UNHCR as asylum seeker. In 2021, he married from a Lebanese lady.

On 25 September 2023, he visited the General Security Branch in Deir Ammar, north of Lebanon in order to renew his residency. He was arrested and then sent to Serail Tripoli (Court) and then to the General Directorate of General Security in Beirut.

When his family’s lawyer tried to inquire about his case the Information department of the General Security rejected to disclose any information of the reason of his arrest.

On 10 October 2023, his family visited him but when they left he called his family and told them that his name was put on the forced deported list of the detainees who are detained there.

According to this and fearing that he might be subjected to any harm if he will be extradited to Syria, on 10 October  2023, Cedar Center for Legal Studies submitted urgently his case to the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. On the same day, Cedar Centre informed the office of UNHCR in Beirut of A.S’s case. Later in the same day, Cedar Centre was informed from the Lebanese authorities that the extradition of A.S was adjourned until further notice.

It is worth noting that Lebanon has been a party to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment since 2000. The convention states in Article 3, paragraph “a” that:

“No State Party may expel, return (“refouler”) or extradite any person to another State, if it has substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture.”

Cedar Center for Legal Studies is a non-profit civil company, established in Lebanon in 2013 and registered under No. 609, and it is an independent, non-sectarian center. The center is concerned with spreading the culture of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.