REPORT: HRW Report says Lebanese police stations torturing the vulnerable

        
Human Rights Watch issued a report on Wednesday whereby it announced that Lebanese Internal Security Forces threaten and torture drug users, sex workers, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people under their custody.        

The 66-page report named, “It’s Part of the Job: Ill-treatment and Torture of Vulnerable Groups in Lebanese Police Stations,” was released on the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.            

The report is based on over 50 interviews with people who were arrested for suspected drug use, sex work, or homosexuality over the past five years. They reported that they were subject by members of the Internal Security Forces to abuse and torture.          

In this regard, the deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, Nadim Houry, pointed out that "abuse is common in Lebanon’s police stations, but it is even worse for people like drug users or sex workers".         

Former detainees reported ill-treatment and torture in all of the facilities that Human Rights Watch investigated, including in Beirut’s Hobeish police station, Gemmayze police station, Baabda police station, Msaitbeh police station, Zahleh police station, Ouzai police station, Saida police station, police intelligence in Jdeideh, and in pre-trial detention in Baabda women’s prison.         

Lebanon has taken a number of steps in order to reform the Internal Security Forces in the last five years, but these efforts have failed to address ongoing abuses by personnel, Human Rights Watch said.


For the full report, please click on the VIDEO above