Press Release Lebanon: Asylum Seekers and Refugees

The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) published today a report entitled “Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Lebanon: Languishing in Injustice”. This study is part of the “Multimedia Virtual Space for Human Rights” project funded by the European Union. It is carried out by the Italian NGO COSV (Coordination Committee of the Organizations for Voluntary Service) in partnership with three Lebanese NGOs: KAFA (Enough) Violence & Exploitation, the Permanent Peace Movement (PPM) and the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH).

This report describes the general legal framework surrounding the issue of asylum seekers and refugees in Lebanon from a Human Rights perspective while shedding light on the alleged violations of their rights and proposing clear recommendations for the improvement of their situation.

The report, published on the project website (http://www.humanrights-lb.org/upload/refugeesEN1.pdf ), documents the major challenges that confront the refugees and asylum seekers in Lebanon, mainly because of the non-conformity of the Lebanese laws with Lebanon international commitments. Beside the violations of their economic and social rights, they are regularly subjected to arbitrary detention, torture and deportations to their country of origin.

Despite the fact that the Lebanese government keeps repeating that the country is not a party to the 1951 Geneva convention on the refugees status and insists that Lebanon is not a « refuge country », it seemed nevertheless important to remind that the Lebanese authorities attitude towards refugees and asylum seekers constitute a violation of other Lebanon’s international commitments. Indeed, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Against Torture are part of the Human Rights international commitments of Lebanon that also provide to the refugees and asylum seekers a protection against arbitrary detention, torture and deportations.

In conclusion, this report, after describing the violations and their negative impact on the refugees’ situation, presents its recommendations to the various relevant actors. The main recommendations are the following:

To the Civil Society:
- Launch a social debate on the rights of asylum seekers and refugees.

To the Ministry of Interior:
- Close down the General Security detention center.
- Negotiate a new memorandum of understanding with the UNHCR.
- Exercise effective control over security institutions.
- Strictly implement the judicial decisions and put an end to arbitrary administrative detention.
- Give instructions to all services under the Ministry of Interior which are habilitated to proceed to arrests in order to prohibit the arrest of asylum seekers and refugees recognized by the UNHCR on the sole basis of illegal entry/stay.
- Give information to the Internal Security Forces on the status of asylum seekers and refugees as well as all necessary information to ensure that their rights are respected in case of detention.
- Immediately release all persons who have served their prison sentences.
- Revoke the existing agreement between the General Security and the Internal Security Forces which imposes the transfer of foreigners to the General Security Detention Center after they have completed their sentence.
- Provide for asylum seekers and refugees rights at least equal to those of other migrants.
- Put an immediate end to all deportation of asylum seekers and refugees.
- Grant UNHCR unlimited and unconditional access to any persons within its mandate at the General Security detention center, as well as lawyers and human rights organizations.

To the UNHCR:
- Negotiate a new memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Interior.
- Provide sufficient means to the question for persons of concern to UNHCR, notably those detained in Lebanon.
- Publicly denounce the violations of the rights of asylum seekers and refugees.

To the Ministry of Justice:
- Implement appropriate measures to ensure respect for the rights of foreigners in general, and for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees notably in terms of access to Justice and rights of the defense.
- Request from the judges no to take any deportation decision against any person, registered or no with UNHCR and raising fears if returned to his/her country of origin.

To the Parliament:
- Amend the 1962 Law Regulating the Entry and Stay of Foreigners in Lebanon and their Exit from the Country in order to guarantee the rights of asylum seekers and refugees.
- Consider alternative non-custodial measures, such as regular reporting to the authorities.

بيان صَحفي

لبنان: طالبو اللجوء واللاجئون

أصدر اليوم المركز اللبناني لحقوق الإنسان تقريراً حول " طالبو اللجوء واللاجئون في لبنان: الممارسات التعسفيّة". تُشكِل هذه الدِّراسة جزءاً لا يتجزّأ من مشروع "الفسحة المتعدِدة الوسائط لحقوق الإنسان" الممول من الإتحاد الأوروبي والذي تنفذه لجنة منظمات الخدمة الطوعيّة، وهي منظمة ايطالية غير حكومية بالاشتراك مع ثلاث منظمات غير حكومية لبنانية ألا وهي منظمة كفى عنف واستغلال، وحركة السّلام الدّائم، والمركز اللبناني لحقوق الإنسان.

ويهدف التقرير إلى توصيف الاطار القانوني العام للاجئيين في لبنان من منظور حقوق الإنسان مع تسليط الضوء على الانتهاكات الموصوفة. ويرفع توصيات واضحة تُمكن من تذليل العقبات القائمة التي تحول دون تحسين اوضاع اللاجئين.

يوثق التقرير المنشور على الموقع الالكتروني : http://www.humanrights-lb.org/upload/summary_refugees.pdf <http://www.humanrights-lb.org/upload/summary_refugees.pdf> الاشكاليات الاساسية التي تواجه اللاجئين وطالبي اللجوء في لبنان بسبب عدم تطابق القوانين اللبنانية مع التزامات لبنان الدولية. فبالإضافة الى الإنتهاكات التي تطال حقوقهم الإقتصادية والإجتماعية، يعتبر اللاجئون وطالبو اللجوء ضحايا الإعتقال التعسفي في لبنان وضحايا التعذيب والترحيل.

رغم ان الدولة اللبنانية لا تكفّ عن تكرار الإعلان بأنها لا تشكّل طرفا من معاهدة جنيف للعام 1951 التي تعنى بشؤون اللاجئين وذلك محدد في مذكرة العام 2003؛او التشديّد على أن لبنان ليس "بلد لجوء".

مع ذلك، فإن موقف السلطات اللبنانية تجاه طالبي اللجوء واللاجئين يشكّل إنتهاكا لإلتزامات لبنان الدولية الأخرى. إذ أن الإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان، الميثاق الدولي الخاص بالحقوق المدنية والسياسية والمعاهدة حول مناهضة التعذيب، كلها إلتزامات دولية أساسية من قبل لبنان تتعلّق بحقوق الإنسان وتلزم البلد بالإعتراف بنوع ما بحقوق طالبي اللجوء وباللاجئين.

ويخلص التقرير بعد توصيف الانتهاكات وتاثيرها السلبي على الوضع العام للاجئين الى رفع توصيات الى مختلف الجهات المعنية ابرزها:

للمجتمع المدنـي:

- إطلاق نقاش إجتماعي حول حقوق طالبي اللجوء واللاجئين.

لوزارة الداخليـة:

- إغلاق مركز الاعتقال في مديرية الأمن العام؛

- مناقشة مذكرة إتفاق جديدة مع المفوّضية العليا للأمم المتحدة لشؤون اللاجئين؛

- مراقبة فعالة لمؤسسات الحماية؛

- تطبيق دقيق للقرارات القضائية ووضع حدّ للإعتقال الإداري التعسّفي؛

- إعطاء تعليمات لمجموعة المؤسسات التابعة لوزارة الداخلية والتي تقوم بأعمال التوقيف وذلك لمنع توقيف طالبي اللجوء واللاجئين المعترف بهم من قبل ال UNHCR والذين يتمّ توقيفهم على قاعدة دخولهم و/أو مكوثهم غير النظامي في لبنان؛

- الإفراج فورا عن جميع المعتقلين الذين أنهوا فترة عقوبتهم؛

- منح طالبي اللجوء واللاجئين الحقوق نفسها الممنوحة للمهاجرين الآخرين؛

- وضع حد نهائي لترحيل اللاجئين وطالبي اللجوء؛

- السماح لل UNHCR بالدخول بحرية وبدون أي شروط الى مركز الإعتقال في مديرية الأمن العام وكذلك السماح بدخول المحامين ومنظمات الدفاع عن حقوق الإنسان لمقابلة السجناء.

للمفوضية العليا للأمم المتحدة لشؤون اللاجئين UNHCR

- مناقشة مذكرة إتفاق جديدة مع وزارة الداخلية؛

- تأمين طرق كافية للإتصال بالأشخاص المعتقلين في لبنان والمسجّلين لدى الUNHCR.

- التبليغ العلني عن الإنتهاكات التي تطال حقوق طالبي اللجوء واللاجئين.

لوزارة العدل

- تطبيق الإجراءات المرتبطة بإحترام حقوق الأجانب عموما وحقوق اللاجئين وطالبي اللجوء خصوصا فيما يتعلّق بمسائل العدالة والحق بالدفاع؛

- الطلب من القضاة عدم إتخاذ أي تدبير بترحيل أي شخص كان مسجلا أم لا لدى ال UNHCR، والذي تظهر لديه مخاوف من العودة الى بلده.

للمجلس النيابي:

- تعديل قانون العام 1962 المتعلّق بالدخول الى الأراضي اللبنانية والخروج منها وذلك لضمان حقوق طالبي اللجوء واللاجئين؛

- وضع تدابير بديلة غير سالبة للحريات كالإجبار على المثول دوريا أمام السلطات اللبنانية.

Communiqué de presse
Liban : demandeurs d’asile et réfugiés

Le Centre Libanais des Droits Humains (CLDH) a publié aujourd’hui un rapport intitulé “Demandeurs d’asile et réfugiés au Liban: l’étau de l’arbitraire”. Cette étude est partie intégrante du projet “Espace Virtuel et Multimédia pour les Droits de l’Homme”, financé par l’Union Européenne. Ce projet est mené par l’organisation italienne COSV (Comité d’organisations de service volontaire) en partenariat avec trois organisations libanaises : Kafa (Assez) Violence & Exploitation, le Mouvement de Paix Permanente (Permanent Peace Movement - PPM) et le Centre Libanais des Droits Humains (CLDH).

Ce rapport décrit le cadre juridique général qui entoure la question des demandeurs d’asile et des réfugiés au Liban du point de vue du respect des droits de l’Homme, en apportant un éclairage particulier sur les violations dont ils seraient victimes et suggère des recommandations claires dont la mise en œuvre permettrait d’améliorer leur situation.

Ce rapport visible sur le site électronique du projet (http://www.humanrights-lb.org/upload/refugees_FR1.pdf <http://www.humanrights-lb.org/upload/refugees_FR1.pdf> ) documente les défis majeurs auxquels sont confrontés les réfugiés et les demandeurs d’asile au Liban en particulier à cause de la non-conformité des lois libanaises avec les engagements internationaux du Liban. En plus des violations de leurs droits économiques et sociaux, ces derniers sont régulièrement victimes de détention arbitraire, de torture et d’expulsions vers leur pays d’origine.

Malgré le fait que le gouvernement libanais ne cesse de répéter qu’il n’est pas partie à la convention de Genève de 1951 relative au statut des réfugiés et insiste sur le fait que le Liban n’est pas un « pays d’asile », il semblait toutefois important de rappeler que le comportement des autorités libanaises vis-à-vis des réfugiés et des demandeurs d’asile constitue une violation des autres engagements internationaux du Liban. En effet, la Déclaration Universelle des Droits de l’Homme, le pacte international relatif aux droits civils et politiques et la Convention contre la Torture sont des engagements internationaux du Liban relatifs aux droits de l’Homme qui confèrent également aux réfugiés et demandeurs d’asile une protection contre la détention arbitraire, la torture et les expulsions..

En conclusion, ce rapport, après avoir exposé les violations et leur impact négatif sur la situation globale des réfugiés, a présenté ses recommandations aux différents acteurs concernés. Les principales recommandations sont les suivantes :

À la société civile :
- Initier un débat social sur les droits des demandeurs d’asile et des réfugiés.

Au Ministère de l’Intérieur :
- Fermer le Centre de rétention de la Sûreté Générale.
- Renégocier un nouveau mémorandum d’accord avec le UNHCR.
- Exercer un contrôle effectif des institutions sécuritaires.
- Appliquer strictement les décisions judiciaires et mettre un terme à la détention administrative arbitraire.
- Donner des instructions à l’ensemble des services relevant du Ministère de l’Intérieur et habilités à procéder à des arrestations visant à interdire l’arrestation des demandeurs d’asile et des réfugiés reconnus par le UNHCR sur la seule base de leur entrée/séjour irréguliers.
- Libérer immédiatement toutes les personnes ayant terminé leur peine judiciaire.
- Donner aux demandeurs d’asile et aux réfugiés des droits au minimum identiques à ceux des autres migrants.
- Mettre un terme immédiat à toute expulsion de demandeurs d’asile et de réfugiés.
- Autoriser l’accès illimité et inconditionnel de l’UNHCR à toute personne relevant de son mandat, et des avocats et organisations de défense des droits de l’Homme au Centre de rétention de la Sûreté Générale.


Au UNHCR :
- Renégocier un nouveau mémorandum d’accord avec le Ministère de l’Intérieur.
- Accorder des moyens suffisants à la question des personnes relevant de son mandat et en détention au Liban.
- Dénoncer publiquement les violations des droits des demandeurs d’asile et des réfugiés.


Au Ministère de la Justice :
- Mettre en œuvre les mesures qui s’imposent pour le respect des droits des étrangers en général et des demandeurs d’asile et des réfugiés en particulier en termes d’accès à la Justice et de droit à la défense.
- Demander aux juges de ne prendre aucune mesure d’expulsion à l’encontre de toute personne, enregistrée ou non auprès du UNHCR, qui exprime des craintes en cas de retour vers son pays d’origine.


Au Parlement :
- Amender la loi de 1962 sur l’entrée et la sortie du territoire libanais pour garantir les droits des demandeurs d’asile et des réfugiés.
- Envisager des mesures de substitution non privatives de liberté, telles que l'obligation de se présenter régulièrement aux autorités.

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Crossposting: Lebanon: Judiciary Failing to Protect Domestic Workers

Indifference, Lengthy Procedures, and Restrictive Sponsorship System Defeat Justice

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010

(Beirut) - Lebanon's judiciary is generally failing to hold employers accountable when they violate the basic rights of migrant domestic workers, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The government should adopt a plan to ensure that these workers can rely on Lebanese courts to protect their rights, Human Rights Watch said.

The 54-page report, "Without Protection: How the Lebanese Justice System Fails Migrant Domestic Workers," reviews 114 Lebanese judicial decisions affecting migrant domestic workers. It finds that lack of accessible complaint mechanisms, lengthy judicial procedures, and restrictive visa policies dissuade many workers from filing or pursuing complaints against their employers. Even when workers file complaints, the police and judicial authorities regularly fail to treat certain abuses against domestic workers as crimes.

"By turning a blind eye to violations affecting domestic workers, Lebanon's police and judiciary are complicit in the ongoing violations by employers against this vulnerable group," said Nadim Houry, Beirut director at Human Rights Watch. "Locking someone up or slapping them is a crime regardless of the identity of the victim."

Human Rights Watch did not find a single example among the 114 cases it reviewed in which an employer faced charges for locking workers inside homes, confiscating their passports, or denying them food, even though these violations of the law are commonplace. Lebanese families employ an estimated 200,000 migrant domestic workers, primarily from Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, the Philippines, and Nepal.

Complaints filed by these workers against employers often languish in court for months, and sometimes years. This poses an added burden on the workers, because Lebanon's restrictive visa policies make it hard for them to remain in the country to pursue the case. Human Rights Watch reviewed 13 criminal cases by these workers against employers and found they took an average of 24 months to be resolved. Complaints for unpaid wages took between 21 and 54 months. Even simplified complaints brought before labor courts took 32 months on average. Under the kafeel (sponsorship) system, a worker who leaves an employer - even to file a complaint - loses the right to live in Lebanon and faces potential detention and deportation.

Cases of physical violence against migrant domestic workers often fail to garner sufficient attention from police and prosecutors. In a case dating from 2005, the police waited 21 days to begin investigating after receiving a complaint that an employer was beating a domestic worker. A review of police reports in numerous cases of violence against these workers shows that in investigating these cases, the police regularly ask employers only general questions and accept their statements as truthful without cross-checking their statements with other potential witnesses.

While the authorities have prosecuted certain cases of severe beatings against migrant domestic workers, these cases remain rare and have led only to light sentences. In a widely hailed case, a Lebanese criminal court sentenced an employer to prison on December 9, 2009, for repeatedly beating a Filipina domestic worker. However, the sentence was only 15 days. The most severe sentence for beating a domestic worker of which Human Rights Watch is aware was one month in prison. It was imposed by a criminal court on June 26, 2010, against an employer who repeatedly beat a Sri Lankan domestic worker while forcibly confining her to the house.

Even employers who kill their workers often get away with lean sentences. In a 1999 case, a criminal court sentenced an employer who beat a Sri Lankan worker to death to only one-and-a-half years in jail.

"These verdicts are a small step in the right direction, but remain a mere slap on the wrist," Houry said. "The authorities need to ensure that employers who abuse domestic workers receive penalties that are appropriate to the offense and serve as deterrents for others."

Human Rights Watch documented a number of violations of due process and the right to a fair trial in cases in which migrant domestic workers were accused of a crime, usually theft. Of the 84 criminal cases against domestic workers reviewed by Human Rights Watch, 37 of the workers - 44 percent - did not have a defense lawyer. Most - at least 57 of 84 cases reviewed - also faced police and court proceedings without the help of certified translators, despite the fact that many do not speak fluent Arabic. Interpreters were rare even in cases in which the worker was accused of a serious crime.

The report also found widespread pretrial detention of migrant domestic workers accused of crimes. At least 76 percent of the workers in the cases reviewed - 64 out of the 84 - were detained before trial. Most who were eventually found not guilty had been detained during trial for an average of three months before being released, although at least four had spent more than eight months in jail before a court found them not guilty.

"Domestic workers too often end up in jail on the basis of accusations by their employers, without benefiting from the assistance of a lawyer or translator," Houry said. "They deserve the same presumption of innocence and due-process guarantees as everyone else."

Despite recent pronouncements by Lebanese officials, including the Ministers of Interior and Labor, that they want to improve the treatment of migrant domestic workers, government action has been limited to narrow reform initiatives, such as a compulsory standard employment contract for these workers introduced in January 2009. The government also has failed to create effective mechanisms for inspecting the workplaces of migrant domestic workers.

Human Rights Watch called on the Lebanese authorities to:

• Develop a national plan to increase the likelihood that complaints against employers for crimes committed against migrant domestic workers lead to a prosecution;
• Enact legislation to create a simplified dispute resolution mechanism to settle salary disputes between employers and migrant workers in a timely manner;
• Provide access to legal aid and certified interpreters for migrant domestic workers who are victims of abuse or are accused of a crime;
• Implement training programs for police officers, immigration officials, and judges to identify and respond to migrant domestic workers' abuse complaints; and
• Reform the visa sponsorship system so that workers' visas are no longer tied to individual sponsors and so that the workers can file complaints without fear of detention and deportation.

Original link to press release

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