After reviewing Lebanon’s Universal Periodical Review (UPR) created by the United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday, January 18th, Amnesty International urged Lebanon to take certain Human Rights violations into consideration.
Most of the violations that Amnesty called out were previously reviewed and promised by Lebanon to make allowances for, yet they remain disregarded.
The following violations were the one’s most prominently mentioned, followed by their recommended revisions.
Torture
The military justice system and several agencies were accused of torture and other ill-treatment. However, after thorough reviews, results show that certain officers promoting torture remain in their positions, despite the Amnesty call. And one of them was even promoted, the Amnesty report said.
The Lebanese government accepted recommendations of the reviewal of torture back in 2015, however, in 2017 and according to Amnesty “Anti-Torture Law failed to reach court and most of them were closed without an effective investigation.”
Freedom of expression
During the protests following the uprising of October 17th, 2019, authorities and military figures relentlessly attacked and harassed journalists and activists to silence their calls and in a way that defiles international law.
Amnesty urged the government to refrain from the harassment of journalists and activists seeking freedom of expression both online and offline and to ensure that their actions stand in line with international standards.
Kafala
The abusive migrant-worker system has been called on by both locals and international communities to be inhumane and urged its abolishment, and yet migrant-workers continue to be in inadequate working conditions.
Citizens, during several instances, have been found to disregard these workers, leaving them without sustenance or shelters outside of their embassies– disregarding basic humanity.
Amnesty urges Lebanon to abolish the Kafala system and work on creating significant laws that protect migrant workers along with enhancing the conditions of their work environment.
Right to assembly and protest
According to Amnesty International and after what was witnessed during protests, “the military, the Internal Security Forces and Parliament Police used excessive force — including live ammunition, rubber pellets, and tear gas — against largely peaceful protesters.”
Amnesty International has previously called out for Lebanon to revoke their use of excessive force on protesters and yet the urgent calls remain disregarded and the matter is neither invoked, nor investigated.
