08/10/2023

Background

The case of M.A

A, is a Syrian seeker asylum. On 22 September 2023, he was arrested by the Lebanese State Security Forces from his home in Al Rahma Camp in Bekaa, east of Lebanon. He was accused of violating the rules of residency in Lebanon.

On 3 October 2023, a sentence was issued by the Criminal Court of Zahle which fined him with twenty millions of Lebanese Lira in addition to deportation to Syria. On 6 October 2023, he was transferred to General Security in Zahle.

He fears to be deported to Syria where he might be arrested arbitrarily and subjected to torture.

The case of A.A

A.A is a Syrian who entered Lebanon in 2011. He fled Syria fearing to be arrested by the Syrian authorities as his father was arrested and his brother since then. He father died in the detention center while his brother is disappeared since his arrest.

In 2020, he married a Lebanese lady and afterwards he applied to have a residency in Lebanon according to his marriage’s contract. However, he was arrested in 2019 and accused later of joining a terrorist organization by a military judge in the Military court of Beirut.

On 13 September 2023, he was sentenced by the military court  of joining a terrorist organization to 4 yours imprisonment.

On 19 September 2023, his lawyer tried to submit a request to non-refoulement to the public prosecutor of cassation court, but his request was not registered. He tried second time on 28 September 2023 and his request was received.

On 05 September 2023, Mr A was informed he will be deported to Syria although the summary of his sentence did not include of the deportation to Syria and did not take of his request of residency according to his marriage’s contract.

According to the information, Mr A was sent to the Lebanese Syrian border on 6 October 2023 but he has not been handed over yet to the Syrian authorities.

Our action

Therefore, and fearing that they might be subjected to any harm if they be extradited to Syria, the Cedar Centre for Legal Studies submitted on 6 October 2023, urgently to the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

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.