Ahmsd Baccora, the coordinator of the Refugee and Displaced Persons Working Group in the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of Syrian detainee Omar Humaid, who died in Lebanon’s Roumieh Prison due to medical negligence. Baccora emphasized that Humaid’s death highlights the extent of the suffering, injustice, and negligence for which the Lebanese authorities are entirely responsible.
In a press statement, Baccora noted that the SOC has repeatedly warned about the discriminatory treatment faced by Syrian detainees in Roumieh Prison and the poor living conditions they endure. He stressed that the continued disregard for these warnings indicates the Lebanese authorities’ negligence and lack of concern for the fate of detainees.
Baccora also pointed out that international human rights organizations have not fulfilled their duties towards Syrian detainees in Roumieh Prison, whether in providing humanitarian aid, medical care, or even legal assistance by following up on their cases and ensuring they are addressed in court.
He called on the Lebanese authorities, the international community, and human rights organizations to take the necessary legal actions and to conduct an immediate investigation into the details surrounding the death of Syrian detainee Omar Humaid in Roumieh Prison, holding those responsible for this negligence accountable.
Omar Humaid, a 35-year-old Syrian detainee in Roumieh Prison from the town of Arsal, experienced severe chest pain on Saturday, August 31. He requested help but was left lying on the floor for more than two hours without any medical intervention, eventually dying of a heart attack.
Humaid had been imprisoned in Roumieh for seven years on fabricated terrorism charges and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He had appealed the verdict and was awaiting a new decision from the Court of Cassation when he passed away.
According to information from Roumieh Prison, detainees suffer from numerous issues, particularly as the prison’s capacity is limited to 1,050 people, while the current number of detainees exceeds 3,700. Additionally, the food provided is insufficient and sometimes rotten, cells are overcrowded, the water is contaminated, and infectious and skin diseases like scabies are rampant due to overcrowding and the shared use of a single toilet by dozens of detainees.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
