Amnesty International has condemned Lebanon’s military court for its failure to hold officers accountable in the case of Bashar Abd Saud, a Syrian refugee who died following allegations of severe torture while in custody. Saud, aged 30, was detained by the State Security agency on August 30, 2022, on charges related to possessing a counterfeit $50 bill. Within a day, his body, bearing signs of brutal torture, was returned to his family, with a forensic report suggesting the torture induced heart and circulatory failure.
Legal proceedings initially charged five State Security officers but controversially referred the case to Lebanon’s military court. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have criticized this decision, citing the court’s lack of independence due to judicial appointments being controlled by the defense minister. According to Lebanon’s 2017 Anti-Torture Law, cases of this nature should be handled by civilian courts.
The concerns over the military court’s jurisdiction have prompted renewed calls for judicial reforms to prevent impunity. Ghida Frangieh of Legal Agenda and Aya Majzoub of Amnesty International have emphasized the failings of the military justice system in ensuring accountability. In this context, human rights advocates stress that addressing torture allegations through civilian courts is critical for upholding Lebanon’s anti-torture commitments and ensuring fair and independent legal processes. For further reading, see JURIST’s full article.