The Arab Council expresses its deep concern regarding the confirmed reports it has received about Lebanese authorities forcibly deporting dozens of Syrian refugees to Syria, as part of a dangerous plan revealed by the Lebanese government, which aims to deport 15,000 refugees to Syria every month. This plan has been condemned by numerous human rights organizations as it violates international laws and agreements.

The Arab Council has confirmed the forced deportation of approximately 150 Syrian refugees to Syria through the “Al-Masnaa” border crossing since Wednesday, April 19, 2023, under the pretext of not having residence papers in Lebanon.

The deported individuals have had no communication since entering Syrian territory, which is under the control of the Syrian government, despite all of them being registered with the UN Refugee Agency. Their homes were raided by force, and they were subjected to inhumane treatment in several areas, including: Bourj Hammoud, Mount Shouf, Nabatieh, Jounieh, and Wadi Khaled in northern Lebanon. Entire families of Syrians registered with the UNHCR were also arrested.

The Arab Council’s team has documented several cases and affirms its intention to use all available legal means to prevent such actions in the future.

These deportation policies represent a violation of the Lebanese government’s obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, particularly the commitment to the principle of non-refoulement, recognized by the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment as customary law, which was also reaffirmed by the UN General Assembly.

They also violate Lebanon’s obligations under the Convention Against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and its commitment to the 1992 Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, Article 8(1), as well as the 2006 International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, Article 16. These actions also contradict Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015) in Paragraph 14, which stipulates that the return of Syrian refugees to their original areas must be voluntary, safe, and dignified.

Furthermore, these Lebanese policies contradict the Lebanese Constitution, which states that “the rights and freedoms of foreigners may be restricted by law, in accordance with international law,” and the Lebanese laws that specify that deportation orders cannot be enforced in cases where there are serious indications that the individual may face the death penalty, torture, or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in the country they are being deported to.

Based on the above, the Arab Council calls on the Lebanese government to:

  • Immediately and completely halt forced repatriation, arrest, detention, and arbitrary deportation of Syrians under the pretext of “voluntary return” or “deportation according to administrative procedures,” and to fully comply with Lebanon’s international obligations, the Lebanese Constitution, and international protections against refoulement.
  • Launch an urgent investigation into the violations mentioned in this statement concerning forced repatriation, deportation, coercion, and pressure placed on Syrians, and investigate any attempts to force or falsify signatures or fingerprints on “voluntary return” forms, and hold the perpetrators accountable.
  • Allow the UN Refugee Agency to send representatives to deportation centers to monitor the repatriation process of Syrians and ensure that it meets the requirements of voluntary, safe, and dignified return with free will, without any form of coercion, threat, or violence.

The Arab Council also calls on the international community and decision-makers to:

  • Adhere to the requirements of the international response to large-scale refugee crises by providing financial and qualitative assistance to refugees and host countries, and to offer forms of support that contribute to sustainable economic development, while using resettlement as an effective and sustainable tool for burden-sharing and responsibility.
  • Call for an international or regional conference to agree on an emergency plan for support programs for Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, to alleviate the economic impacts of the crisis these countries are experiencing by providing urgent aid, funding developmental projects that benefit both Syrian refugees and host communities, and establishing more efficient monitoring mechanisms for the funding and implementation of projects to ensure impact and accountability for results.
  • Work towards a political transition in Syria that leads to the establishment of a democratic state governed by the rule of law, based on the Geneva framework and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, paving the way for the safe and voluntary return of refugees. Any settlement without political change that ignores the root causes of the conflict will lead to new conflicts, further destabilize the region, and result in more waves of migration.

Signed,
The Arab Council
President Moncef Marzouki

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