International Watchdog Urges Lebanon To Stop Arbitrary Deportation Of Syrian Refugees

Lebanon should adhere to its international commitments and stop coercing Syrian refugees to return to unsafe locations, a prominent international human rights organization said on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2019) Lebanon should adhere to its international commitments and stop coercing Syrian refugees to return to unsafe locations, a prominent international human rights organization said on Friday.

According to Human Rights Watch, Lebanon deported at least 16 Syrian refugees, some of whom were registered with the UN refugee agency, upon their arrival at the Beirut airport on April 26 without giving them a chance to file for asylum. The refugees were instead forced to sign "voluntary repatriation" forms, the watchdog said.

"Lebanese authorities shouldn't deport anyone to Syria without first allowing them a fair opportunity to argue their case for protection and ensuring that they don't face a real risk of persecution, torture, or other serious harm," Human Rights Watch quoted its middle East director, Lama Fakih, as saying.

According to the watchdog, such coerced extraditions to unsafe areas put refugees in danger of torture, prosecution and other degrading treatment.

"As a party to the Convention Against Torture, Lebanon is obligated not to return or extradite anyone if there are substantial grounds for believing the person would be in danger of being subjected to torture," the watchdog added.

The Syrian civil war has brought about a toll of over 5.6 million refugees since 2011. Lebanon accommodates about 1 million of them, the United Nations estimates.