In 2000, Lebanon rati?ed the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. As of February 2008, Lebanon has signed, but not yet rati?ed, the optional protocol to this convention which allows for regular visits by autonomous international and national bodies to places where people are deprived of their liberty, in order to prevent torture and ill- treatment. Lebanon is also part of the Geneva Conventions (1949) and the conventions’ two additional protocols (1977) which prohibit torture. These bills also recognize the principle of “command responsibility,” where a superior can be held responsible for the acts of his subordinate.
Despite the fact that all of the above mentioned bills were signed by the Lebanese government, national laws still fail to reflect these commitments. The Lebanese state continues to abstain from opening an independent investigation into acts of torture, which have not yet been legally categorized as a crime, and fails to compensate torture victims, including those who were tortured during the Syrian occupation. Additionally, the Lebanese public is unaware of the negative implications of practices by institutions that are meant to protect civilian human rights
As part of ALEF’s project on Torture Prevention and Monitoring I (TPMLI), this report describes the shocking revelations about Lebanese prisons and detention centers. The aim of this research is to assess the extent of torture in Lebanon, to understand its causes, and to identify the main traits of the victims’ pro?le as well as that of perpetrators of torture in the country. The study includes a review of the legal framework and an analysis of relevant practices during 2007.
This report details the contradictions between domestic laws regarding the physical safety of persons deprived of their liberty and the international obligations Lebanon holds.