06 June 2014

Lebanon : Torture and risk of unfair trial; the ordeal of two Syrians

Jemaa Ahmad Massini and Alaeddine Moussa Ibrahim are two young Syrians living in Lebanon. They were arrested in February 2009 by agents of the internal security forces in Dora Street, North-East Beirut.

As they were held incommunicado, they might have been subjected to torture in order to elicit confessions. After eight consecutive days of ill-treatment and without any contact with the outside world or legal assistance, the two young men might have given up and sign documents that were presented to the Lebanese judiciary as confessions.

They were then transferred to Roumieh prison where they are still detained to date. After 52 months of arbitrary detention, they were finally officially charged and brought before a jurisdiction. They are however still awaiting trial.

Alkarama and the Lebanese Centre for Human Rights express their concern as their "confessions" extracted by the authorities could be used against them in court and lead to a severe verdict.

In this sense, a joint communication was sent to the competent UN bodies to ask the Lebanese authorities to put a definitive end to torture and impunity for their perpetrators. An impartial and thorough investigation into the acts Jemaa and Alaeddine were subjected to should be conducted by the authorities in addition to guarantee their trial is in line with international standards.

Lebanon - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

ICCPR: Accessed on 03.11.1972
Optional Protocol: No

State report: Overdue since 21.03.2001 (3rd)
Last concluding observations: 05.05.1997

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 05.10.2000
Optional Protocol: Yes
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): Yes
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Overdue since 03.11.2001 (1st)
Last concluding observations: N/A

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

CED: Signed on 06.02.2007

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 11.2010 (1st cycle)
Next review: 2015 (2nd cycle)

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

No