The Coordinator of the Office of Refugee Affairs in the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Salim Idris, has spoken out against the mistreatment of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. He specifically condemned the recent imposition of royalties on remittances, which adds to the already difficult economic conditions faced by refugees.
Idris attributed the harassment of Syrian refugees to hate speech promoted by the Assad regime’s allies in Lebanon. He accused these groups of encouraging thugs to intimidate and harass refugees, even preventing them from receiving financial aid from international organizations.
According to the Access Center for Human Rights (ACHR), a group has been extorting Syrian refugees in the Bekaa region by seizing part of the financial aid sent to them by the UNHCR. Lebanese security forces have also been carrying out raids against refugee camps and demolishing tents, particularly in the wake of a recent snowstorm that damaged some of the shelters.
Idris emphasized that if it were not for the participation of Lebanese security forces in the harassment of Syrian refugees, they would not have been subjected to such inhumane practices.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
