Twelve human rights groups have expressed full support for the group of Syrian activists from across the world who in early July announced they were going on hunger strike to protest against the killings and violations against Syrian refugees in detention by the Lebanese military.
In a joint statement released on Friday, the rights groups said that such acts must cease immediately and that perpetrators must be brought to justice.
“The disproportionate use of force have resulted in the deaths of at least four detainees under torture. Attempts to conceal pieces of evidence including confiscation of samples taken from the bodies of those who died in detention were denounced by the Lebanese Centre for Human Rights,” the statement said.
The solidarity hunger strike campaign was launched by Mrs Azza Murtada and Rana Aljundi, Syrian refugees and activists in Amsterdam and Paris. Over 40 activists joined the campaign and have been on hunger strike for nearly two weeks.
The hunger strikers called for an independent investigation into incidents at the Arsal refugee camps; an end to the culture of impunity by bringing those responsible for torture and extrajudicial killings against Syrian refugees to justice, and protection of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and other countries.
The Syrian Coalition’s legal committee on Wednesday sent a memorandum to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and representatives of the permanent members of the UN Security Council to protest against the attacks on Syrian civilians and refugees by the Hezbollah militias on Syrian civilians and refugees in the Qalamoun area in Syria and the town of Arsal in Lebanon.
The memorandum called on the United Nations to exercise pressure the Lebanese government to improve the situation of Syrian refugees and to protect them from the continued attacks and violations by Hezbollah militias.
The memorandum called for the formation of an independent committee under the supervision of the United Nations to investigate these violations and to ensure the safety and immediate release of Syrian refugees in the custody of the Lebanese army. It also called for permanent international monitoring of the status of Syrian refugees in Lebanon in light of the continued violations against them by the Hezbollah militias. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
