A Syrian youth died under torture in the regime’s prisons on July 6, 2024, after being deported from Lebanon to Syria.
The young man, Ahmad Nimer Al-Halli, was tortured in the notorious Palestine Branch in Damascus following his “forcible” deportation from Lebanon to his home country of Syria, leading to his death.
Al-Halli, from the Barzeh neighborhood near Damascus, was arrested in early June 2024 by regime security forces after passing through a “security checkpoint” and was then taken to the Palestine Branch (Branch 235) of the Military Intelligence Directorate in Damascus.
Despite Al-Halli having “settled his security status” before seeking refuge in Lebanon, he was arrested without an official arrest warrant or notifying his family. He was also denied communication with his family or a lawyer.
Lebanon resumed deporting Syrian refugees following a period of “racist” campaigns against Syrians, amid warnings from international bodies that Syria remains unsafe.
On May 2, 2024, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria reported that arbitrary detention, disappearance, and torture, along with the absence of the rule of law, continue in Syria, amounting to “war crimes.” Civilians are affected by the lack of rule of law and insecurity.
On April 25, 2024, Human Rights Watch reported on the illegal deportation of Syrians from Lebanon, as well as their detention and mistreatment. The organization confirmed that Lebanese authorities arbitrarily detained Syrians and forcibly returned them to Syria.
International law prohibits “constructive” refoulement, which occurs when states use indirect means to compel individuals to return to a place where they face a real risk of serious human rights violations.
On July 2, 2024, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Alice Jill Edwards expressed concern over reports confirming that torture continues to be practiced widely in Syria, despite seven months passing since the International Court of Justice ordered the regime to end torture.
On November 16, 2023, the International Court of Justice demanded the Syrian regime take “urgent provisional” measures, requiring it to stop torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment in its prisons, following a case filed by the Netherlands and Canada against the Damascus government for violations.
Torture is a crime under international law, absolutely prohibited by all relevant instruments, and cannot be justified under any circumstances. This rule is part of widely accepted international law, meaning all states must adhere to it, even if they haven’t agreed to specific treaties prohibiting torture. The systematic and widespread practice of torture constitutes a “crime against humanity” according to the United Nations.
“Same Justice” organization condemns the death of the young man under torture in the Syrian regime’s prisons and denounces his forcible deportation from Lebanon.
The organization calls for an end to all acts of torture and enforced disappearance in Syria, emphasizing the need to empty all political prisons and enforce internationally agreed human rights principles, including arrest only with judicial warrants, ensuring the accused’s right to a fair defense, and protecting them from all forms of psychological and physical torture—conditions that are difficult to achieve under the current political circumstances and regime in Syria.
