There are more than just two security officers accused of torturing inmates in Roumieh Prison, Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk said Sunday, after online footage showed two ISF officers beating prisoners with a plastic rod.
“These two officers are not alone,” Machnouk said in a news conference held only hours after the arrest of the two men was announced.
“At least four others also committed mistakes and I have referred them to the judiciary,” he added.
In addition to those who were arrested, the interior minister said that other officers accused of torturing inmates have been kicked out of the ISF.
Though only the faces of two prison guards appear in the Youtube video that surfaced Saturday, Machnouk said that “there are more men but their faces don’t appear in the footage.”
The interior minister, who noted that the incident took place when security forces raided Roumieh prison to quell inmate riots last April, said that he “assumes full responsibility for the mistake.”
He vowed to take all legal measures against those found guilty of misconduct, asserting that the incident has not recurred since it first took place two months ago.
After expressing his condemnation of the brutal acts carried out on prisoners, the interior minister said that “it was not strange” that this incident happened.
“We must take into consideration that about 100 security forces entered a facility that was housing at least 1000 inmates,” he said. “So it is not strange that four or six officers did this.”
“These incidents happen but I stress: we are the only Arab state that has referred officers who mistreated prisoners to the military court,” he added.
Responding to his critics, Machnouk said “I inherited this prison, I inherited the prisoners and I inherited these conditions, I did not impose this.”
The videos that surfaced on Youtube Saturday showed over a dozen Roumieh prisoners crouching on a floor with their hands tied behind their backs.
The men, who were stripped shirtless, were beaten severely with a long green rod.
One guard was shown groping a prisoner before hammering his back with repetitive blows. The victim was writhing and wailing in pain as his back turned red from the beating.
The guard then made his way to the opposite corner of the room where he began striking another tattooed prisoner.
A follow up video showed another prisoner, wearing only his underwear, crouching in the corner as a guard approached.
The guard questioned the inmate on the charges against him, to which prisoner replied he was incarcerated for "transporting terrorists." The guard then struck him several times with the same green rod on the face, back and legs.
The guard then ordered the prisoner to kiss his feet and subsequently kicked him in the face with his boot.
The videos were circulated heavily on social media and met with a heavy outcry from critics about the prevalence of torture at Lebanon’s largest prison.
Pro-Islamist Twitter pages have identified the prisoners as Sheikh Omar Atrash from the northeastern border town of Arsal, Qatibah al-Asaad from the Lebanese border area of Wadi Khaled and Wael al-Samad from the Dinnieh town of Bakhoun in north Lebanon.
Machnouk said Sunday he would meet with the three victims in Roumieh Monday to hear their version of the story. (The Daily Star)
“These two officers are not alone,” Machnouk said in a news conference held only hours after the arrest of the two men was announced.
“At least four others also committed mistakes and I have referred them to the judiciary,” he added.
In addition to those who were arrested, the interior minister said that other officers accused of torturing inmates have been kicked out of the ISF.
Though only the faces of two prison guards appear in the Youtube video that surfaced Saturday, Machnouk said that “there are more men but their faces don’t appear in the footage.”
The interior minister, who noted that the incident took place when security forces raided Roumieh prison to quell inmate riots last April, said that he “assumes full responsibility for the mistake.”
He vowed to take all legal measures against those found guilty of misconduct, asserting that the incident has not recurred since it first took place two months ago.
After expressing his condemnation of the brutal acts carried out on prisoners, the interior minister said that “it was not strange” that this incident happened.
“We must take into consideration that about 100 security forces entered a facility that was housing at least 1000 inmates,” he said. “So it is not strange that four or six officers did this.”
“These incidents happen but I stress: we are the only Arab state that has referred officers who mistreated prisoners to the military court,” he added.
Responding to his critics, Machnouk said “I inherited this prison, I inherited the prisoners and I inherited these conditions, I did not impose this.”
The videos that surfaced on Youtube Saturday showed over a dozen Roumieh prisoners crouching on a floor with their hands tied behind their backs.
The men, who were stripped shirtless, were beaten severely with a long green rod.
One guard was shown groping a prisoner before hammering his back with repetitive blows. The victim was writhing and wailing in pain as his back turned red from the beating.
The guard then made his way to the opposite corner of the room where he began striking another tattooed prisoner.
A follow up video showed another prisoner, wearing only his underwear, crouching in the corner as a guard approached.
The guard questioned the inmate on the charges against him, to which prisoner replied he was incarcerated for "transporting terrorists." The guard then struck him several times with the same green rod on the face, back and legs.
The guard then ordered the prisoner to kiss his feet and subsequently kicked him in the face with his boot.
The videos were circulated heavily on social media and met with a heavy outcry from critics about the prevalence of torture at Lebanon’s largest prison.
Pro-Islamist Twitter pages have identified the prisoners as Sheikh Omar Atrash from the northeastern border town of Arsal, Qatibah al-Asaad from the Lebanese border area of Wadi Khaled and Wael al-Samad from the Dinnieh town of Bakhoun in north Lebanon.
Machnouk said Sunday he would meet with the three victims in Roumieh Monday to hear their version of the story. (The Daily Star)
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