A number of Lebanese lawyers have condemned the forced deportations of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, stressing that calls for handing over Syrian refugees and prisoners to the Assad regime is a crime against humanity.
Lawyer Muhammad Sablouh told Zaman al-Wasl that the Lebanese government suggests that the Syrian refugees are the main cause of the country's crisis, at a time when corruption has exhausted the country and brought its people to what they are today without holding those responsible accountable.
Sablouh considered that the cries of handing over the displaced Syrians to the Syrian regime is a crime against humanity, refusing to allow such a crime to be committed, in addition to refusing to place the brunt of the problems in Lebanon on them.
Sablouh expressed his regret over the Lebanese government's openness and its intention to ask the Assad regime to receive Syrian prisoners in their country to complete their sentences.
In turn, lawyer Nabil al-Halabi, executive director of the Life Foundation, accused the ruling system of corruption in Lebanon of being responsible for the "displacement chaos" and its control of illegal crossings through its militias that crossed the border to kill Syrians, displace them to Lebanon and occupy their land for 12 years.
Al-Halabi said that the Lebanese government is harnessing all the capabilities of the authority to incite the Lebanese, whom it has impoverished, against the miserable Syrian refugees, and has actually begun to take a dangerous course that will exacerbate Lebanon's international crisis.
He added that this system has afflicted Lebanon with loyal economic refugees who recently arrived from Syria, in order to create a crisis between the miserable citizens and the displaced refugees.
While the International lawyer and professor Tarek Chindeb confirmed that the presence of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is due to the terrorism of the Hezbollah militia, which went to Qusayr, Zabadani, Madaya, and the countryside of Homs with drug and Captagon gangs, and killed the Syrian people, displaced them from their land, and occupied their country.
Chindeb believed that the conditions for voluntary and safe return are not available to date in Syria.
The lawyer condemned the Lebanese government's efforts to extradite al-Assad, hundreds of prisoners opposed to his rule, who were arrested on political allegations that do not comply with Lebanese law, the constitution, or international law.
Attorney Diala Shehadeh also announced her rejection of the current and previous forced deportation decisions issued against refugees, considering that they violate the legal and international obligations of the State of Lebanon.
She told Zaman al-Wasl that the decisions to deport Syrian refugees violate the Lebanese constitution, calling for an immediate halt to these decisions.
The Lebanese human rights activist also stressed that the human rights and international community must work to pressure donor countries to these official bodies in Lebanon, especially the security institutions, in order to oblige them to respect Lebanon's international legal obligations.
The lawyers' condemnations of the forced deportation come with the insistence of official authorities in Lebanon to return the Syrian refugees to their country, and the widespread rejection of involuntary return.
On Sunday, the Minister of Social Affairs in the Lebanese caretaker government, Hector al-Hajjar, revealed the intention of the Ministry of Justice to study the file of transferring Syrian prisoners in Lebanese prisons to their country to complete the remaining period of their sentences.
The Lebanese security authorities had sparked widespread anger among the refugees after deporting about 50 Syrians who entered Lebanon illegally through the land crossings.
Some municipalities have also issued decisions requiring Syrians to register their names with them, and to bring all identification papers to ensure that they comply with residency requirements.
Lebanese municipalities considered that the Syrians who do not register their names with them and do not bring their identification papers are illegal residents and will be deported.
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.