Risk of Detention for Syrians Fleeing Lebanon, Human Rights Watch Warns
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Roshan Amiri
- . October 30, 2024
- . Update: October 30, 2024 4:52 pm
Human Rights Watch warned Wednesday that Syrians escaping Israel’s attacks on Lebanon could face repression in Syria. Over 355,000 Syrians have returned amid the conflict, with more than half a million people fleeing from Lebanon to Syria since Israel’s air campaign began on September 23.
The rights group warned that Syrians particularly men could be at risk of arrest and mistreatment by Syrian authorities. Adam Coogle, HRW’s deputy director, highlighted the danger, mentioning several suspicious deaths of deportees in custody.
In October, HRW documented five arrests of Syrians returning home. One case involved a woman whose husband was detained by Syrian military intelligence upon return, despite a recent amnesty for deserters.
“Syria is no safer than before,” Coogle said, stressing that the return of Syrians reflects limited options, not safer conditions.
Only one official border crossing remains open between Lebanon and Syria, as Israeli strikes have damaged another route, according to Lebanon’s transport minister. The ongoing conflict has killed at least 1,754 people in Lebanon, while Israel has reported 37 military casualties since its ground operations began on September 30.
