The coordinator of the Office of Refugee Affairs in the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Salim Idris, strongly criticized the recent statements made by the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Abdallah Bou Habib. In his remarks, Bou Habib claimed that Syrian refugees were not being coerced to return, despite documented cases by Amnesty International where Syrian refugees were arrested by the Assad regime after being deported from Lebanon. Additionally, the Access Center for Human Rights reported that the Fourth Division had detained at least two Syrian refugees who were deported from Lebanon.
Idris expressed disbelief that the Lebanese minister could easily deny the truth presented in the reports from international, regional, and local human rights organizations regarding the violations faced by Syrian refugees in Lebanon. He questioned how the Lebanese state could cooperate with the Assad regime to coordinate the return of refugees who had fled the oppression of Assad’s forces and security apparatus.
Idris raised concerns about the logic behind Lebanese authorities discussing the fate of victims with their tormentors. He wondered how these authorities could claim the right to decide the fate of a refugee who escaped from a brutal regime.
These remarks follow Bou Habib’s recent statements during his participation in the preparatory meeting of Arab foreign ministers. Bou Habib stated that “there is no forced return of any Syrian refugees from Lebanon” and mentioned that the Lebanese state is working with the Assad regime and Arab countries on the issue of refugee returns.
Amnesty International has previously highlighted that the deportations of Syrians from Lebanon constitute a “clear violation” of international law and the principle of “non-refoulement,” which prohibits states from forcibly returning individuals to a country where they are likely to face persecution.
The Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) had previously condemned the ongoing violations committed by the Lebanese government against Syrian refugees. Arbitrary arrests and deportations to areas under the control of the Assad regime continue to occur without adherence to the internationally recognized rights of refugees and without consideration for the imminent dangers they face upon their return.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
