September 11, 2024

The President of the Syrian Negotiation Commission, Dr. Badr Jamous, sent a message to the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Geir Pedersen, regarding the violations occurring against Syrian refugees in Lebanon in general, and specifically against Syrian prisoners in Roumieh Prison. He highlighted the alarming deterioration of conditions in these prisons, noting that Lebanese authorities are exerting both material and moral pressure on detainees to force them to sign documents requesting their transfer to Syrian regime prisons, which poses significant dangers and risks to their safety.

Dr. Jamous urged the international envoy to take immediate action and communicate with Lebanese authorities to halt the violations against Syrian prisoners in Lebanese jails. He also called for engagement with relevant international bodies to take necessary measures, especially since Syrian prisoners in Lebanon have declared an open hunger strike.

The President of the Commission pointed out the increasing pressures faced by Syrian refugees in Lebanon, who are being used as a pawn in the internal political struggle, facing false accusations, and experiencing acts of retaliation and systematic violations of all international laws protecting refugees and prisoners.

The Commission has emphasized that any calls for the repatriation of Syrian refugees to areas controlled by the regime carry compounded risks, as they face interrogation, torture, enforced disappearance, and even death at the hands of the regime’s security forces, which continue to perpetrate violations against returning refugees. It is imperative to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2254, as it is the only framework that guarantees a political transition in a safe and neutral environment that allows refugees to return with dignity and safety.