Lebanon - Latest Publications

LBN - News

Lebanon: Syrian Citizen Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison on the Basis of Confessions Obtained Under Torture

LBN - News | 24 February 2016

On 18 May 2015, 25-year-old Syrian citizen Yarub Al Faraj was arrested by members of the Military Intelligence at a military checkpoint in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon and taken to the Ablah Military Barrack, where he was tortured and forced to confess to accusations of terrorism, which were later used as the basis for his conviction by the Military Court in December 2015. In view of these facts, Alkarama sent on 23 February 2016 a communication to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (SRT), Juan E. Méndez, asking him to call upon the Lebanese authorities to open an investigation into the acts of torture to which Al Faraj was subjected and to retry him, disregarding all confessions obtained under torture.

Lebanon: Respect UN Opinion, Release Nahr al Bared Detainees

LBN - News | 19 November 2015

One year after the adoption by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of an Opinion recognising the arbitrary character of the detention of 72 persons arrested following the 2007 Nahr Al Bared crisis and calling for their immediate release, the majority of them remain detained. All were condemned to heavy sentences on the basis of confessions obtained under torture and after years of pre-trial detention. On the anniversary of this landmark Opinion, Alkarama calls upon the Lebanese authorities to respect their international obligations and release or review the detainees' sentences.

Lebanon: UN Member States Express Concern Over Human Rights During Universal Periodic Review

LBN - News | 12 November 2015

On 6 November 2015, the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) adopted a draft report containing the recommendations made by United Nations Member States to Lebanon during the State's review, which took place on 2 November 2015. During the review, States expressed their concern over Lebanon's human rights situation, especially regarding the pervasive practice of torture, the use of military tribunals for civilians, the death penalty and the delay in establishing an independent national human rights institution (NHRI), all issues previously raised by Alkarama in its report submitted to the Human Rights Council (HRC) in view of Lebanon's review on 23 March 2015.

Lebanon: Detention and Risk of Trial before Military Court for Having Denounced Rape by Military Officers

LBN - News | 12 October 2015

On 9 October 2015, Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on the case of Layal al-Kayaje, detained since her summon for investigation by the Lebanese Military Intelligence in Saida, on 21 September 2015, shortly after she denounced having been tortured and raped by military officers during her detention in 2013.

Lebanon: Arrested for reporting rape in Lebanese detention center

LBN - News | 24 September 2015

The signatory organizations call upon the Lebanese judiciary to act on the case of Layal al-Kayaje, a veterinary clinic employee from Saida, who was summoned for investigation on September 21, 2015 by Lebanese army intelligence in Saida, Lebanon, following her statements on alleged torture and rape during detention.

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