Ahmad Baccora, Coordinator of the Refugee and Displaced Persons Working Group in the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) strongly condemned recent statements made by the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, in which he claimed that there are no longer any Syrian refugees at risk if they return to Syria.
In a press statement, Baccora said that these remarks pose a danger to the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees still in Lebanon, according to data from United Nations institutions and information held by the SOC. He pointed out that such statements pave the way for justifying forced deportation campaigns, which could expose refugees to arrest, torture, or even death at the hands of the regime.
Baccora emphasized that the claim that all Syrian opposition members have been eliminated or displaced is a distortion of the truth and a way to legitimize ongoing violations against refugees. He affirmed that the targeting of anti-Assad refugees in Lebanon has not stopped over the past years.
Baccora stressed that the solution does not lie in violating the rights of Syrian refugees but through a comprehensive political solution in Syria that guarantees the safe and voluntary return of refugees. The United Nations and its institutions have repeatedly confirmed that Syria is not a safe country for the return of refugees under the current circumstances.
He further explained that anyone who contributes to endangering Syrian refugees or supports their forced deportation bears “joint responsibility” for crimes against humanity, which cannot be forgotten with time. Baccora noted that any action taken by anyone in Lebanon that results in the deportation of Syrians back to Syria, where they face torture, arrest, or death, implicates that person in shared responsibility with the Assad regime, making the individual complicit in these crimes.
Baccora reminded everyone that the Convention Against Torture, which Lebanon has ratified, strictly prohibits the return or deportation of any person to a country where they face the risk of torture or ill-treatment. He added that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international agreements impose the protection of refugees and criminalize any actions related to forced deportation. All parties must fully adhere to these international laws to ensure the protection of human rights.
He also emphasized the vital role of human rights organizations in documenting these violations and demanding legal accountability, stressing the need to bring those responsible for these crimes to international courts.
Baccora concluded by stating that Geagea’s statements ignore the tragic reality faced by Syrian refugees in Lebanon and contribute to inciting hatred and violating human rights. He asserted that blaming refugees for Lebanon’s economic crisis is an attempt to avoid addressing the real causes of the crisis. He stressed the need to find humanitarian solutions that respect human rights and dignity, rather than resorting to dangerous populist rhetoric that violates their rights.
Bakoura ended by affirming that the SOC will continue its efforts to protect the rights of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and hold accountable all those involved in committing crimes and violations against them. He stressed that these crimes have no statute of limitations, and those responsible will be brought to international justice.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
