Syrian refugees deported from Lebanon face arrest, conscription, say relatives

Syrian refugees detained by security forces in Lebanon and deported have been subject to arrest and forced conscription upon return to their war-ravaged homeland, their relatives and rights advocates have told Reuters.

Some said their loved ones were being held by the Syrian army’s Fourth Division, which is headed by President Bashar al-Assad’s brother and has been sanctioned for rights violations.

Amnesty International says the deportations are a “clear violation” by Lebanon of international law under the principle of “non-refoulement,” which prohibits nations from forcibly returning anyone to a country where they risk persecution.

The Syrian government did not respond to a request for comment. The Lebanese army, which has been carrying out the deportations according to Amnesty International, aid workers and witnesses, declined to comment.

Lebanon is home to some 800,000 Syrians registered with the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) who have fled since the war erupted in 2011. Lebanese authorities say the real number of Syrians in their country is 2 million.

READ: Syria refugees in danger after Lebanon deports them

One refugee told Reuters he and his three brothers were detained in a raid on a camp in Lebanon in late April. Because his brothers did not have legal residency, they were deported.

“They managed to get in touch with me from inside Syria, saying they were being held by the Fourth Division. I still don’t know if they’re alright,” he said, asking to speak anonymously because of fear of reprisals.

Another refugee said he was briefly held by the Fourth Division after being deported but paid smugglers to return to Lebanon.

The Access Center for Human Rights (ACHR), a rights organisation, said it had documented the detention of at least two deported Syrians by the Fourth Division. It called on the Lebanese government to immediately halt the deportations.