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Lebanon hand over detained Syria opposition to regime, rights group say

October 4, 2021 at 12:36 pm

A picture taken on December 14, 2017 shows a general view of people standing at the Al-Qaa border crossing in Lebanon and Jussiyeh in Syria. The writing in Arabic reads: “Welcome to Assad’s Syria”. [STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images]

Lebanese authorities have handed over several detained opponents of the Syrian regime to the intelligence authorities in Syria before the end of their prison sentence, a detainees rights group said.

The Lebanese Commission for Prisoners’ Rights said in a statement that the Syrian detainees are appealing to the Public Prosecutor, Judge Ghassan Oweidat, to immediately intervene and stop the transfer.

“Syrian detainees in Lebanon are shocked by reports indicating that Lebanese authorities have handed over a number of their Syrian colleagues – who fled the regime’s brutality – back to Assad’s intelligence,” the statement said.

They highlighted a previous decision issued by Lebanese Minister, Raya El-Hassan, not to extradite any foreign prisoner if that poses a threat to his life.

The statement called on human rights and international organisations to stand by the Syrian detainees, and to save them from execution.

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