Lebanese soldier beats Syrian refugee to death
Middle East Monitor, April 26, 2018
A Syrian
refugee in Lebanon died yesterday after being severely beaten by a Lebanese
soldier, according to Syrian news agency Zaman Al-Wasl.
refugee in Lebanon died yesterday after being severely beaten by a Lebanese
soldier, according to Syrian news agency Zaman Al-Wasl.
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| Syrian children are seen at a refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon on March 21, 2017 (Ratib Al Safadi – Anadolu Agency) |
Mohamed
Abdul Jawad Wais, 46, was attacked in Bekaa Valley close to the Syrian border
on Sunday when the father of eight was taking one of his children home. He
reportedly stopped his car in a busy road to allow the child to leave the car,
prompting a soldier, identified as Abudlatif Zaitouni, to approach and shout at
him. Upon learning that Wais was Syrian, the soldier reportedly retrieved a
baton from his car and proceeded to beat him on his head several times.
Abdul Jawad Wais, 46, was attacked in Bekaa Valley close to the Syrian border
on Sunday when the father of eight was taking one of his children home. He
reportedly stopped his car in a busy road to allow the child to leave the car,
prompting a soldier, identified as Abudlatif Zaitouni, to approach and shout at
him. Upon learning that Wais was Syrian, the soldier reportedly retrieved a
baton from his car and proceeded to beat him on his head several times.
Wais was
working as a driver in a Lebanese nursing school in the town of Al-Sweiri.
He had fled from the Syrian border town of Qusayr which is currently controlled
by Hezbollah militia. He died yesterday in hospital after spending three days
in intensive care according to local activists.
working as a driver in a Lebanese nursing school in the town of Al-Sweiri.
He had fled from the Syrian border town of Qusayr which is currently controlled
by Hezbollah militia. He died yesterday in hospital after spending three days
in intensive care according to local activists.
The
attack is one of several that have taken place in Lebanon recent months, amid
increased discriminatory rhetoric and violence towards Syrian refugees from
locals. Authorities have also raided refugees’ homes and deported those they
deem suspicious.
attack is one of several that have taken place in Lebanon recent months, amid
increased discriminatory rhetoric and violence towards Syrian refugees from
locals. Authorities have also raided refugees’ homes and deported those they
deem suspicious.
Last week
international NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned
the Lebanese government’s expulsion of hundreds of Syrian refugees from their
temporary homes in the country in a new report “Our Homes Are Not For
Strangers”.
international NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned
the Lebanese government’s expulsion of hundreds of Syrian refugees from their
temporary homes in the country in a new report “Our Homes Are Not For
Strangers”.
“At least
13 municipalities in Lebanon have forcibly evicted at least 3,664 Syrian
refugees from their homes and expelled them from the municipalities, apparently
because of their nationality or religion,” the report stated, adding that
another 42,000 remain at risk of eviction.
13 municipalities in Lebanon have forcibly evicted at least 3,664 Syrian
refugees from their homes and expelled them from the municipalities, apparently
because of their nationality or religion,” the report stated, adding that
another 42,000 remain at risk of eviction.
HRW
officials interviewed some 57 Syrian affected by the recent evictions, as well
as municipal officials and legal experts, noting that violence was often used
to force refugees from their residences.
officials interviewed some 57 Syrian affected by the recent evictions, as well
as municipal officials and legal experts, noting that violence was often used
to force refugees from their residences.
“Municipalities
have no legitimate justification for forcibly evicting Syrian refugees if it
amounts to nationality-based or religious discrimination,” Bill Frelick, HRW’s
director for refugee rights and the author of the report said, referring to the
fact that most of the municipalities involved in forcibly evicting and
expelling Syrian refugees were predominantly populated by Christians.
have no legitimate justification for forcibly evicting Syrian refugees if it
amounts to nationality-based or religious discrimination,” Bill Frelick, HRW’s
director for refugee rights and the author of the report said, referring to the
fact that most of the municipalities involved in forcibly evicting and
expelling Syrian refugees were predominantly populated by Christians.
“Lebanese
leaders should curb rhetoric that encourages or condones forced evictions,
expulsions, and other discriminatory and harassing treatment of refugees in
Lebanon,” Frelick said.
leaders should curb rhetoric that encourages or condones forced evictions,
expulsions, and other discriminatory and harassing treatment of refugees in
Lebanon,” Frelick said.
