Prisoners suspend 10-day-long hunger strike

Prisoners suspended their 10-day-long hunger strike on Monday, which they staged in protest of their situation in prison, demanding general amnesty and reducing the prison sentence from 1 year to 9 months.

Prisoners’ relatives had earlier attempted to break into the Grand Serail in protest of the situation of the inmates. They managed to push past two barriers and to reach the courtyard of the Serail.     

The security forces blocked all entries and attempted to disperse the estimated 500 protesters. A delegation from the protesters met with PM Najib Mikati.   

A delegation from the protesters managed to meet with PM Najib Mikati to discuss the situation in prisons.    

Mikati, in turn, promised to follow up on the prisoners’ demands.      

The prime minister called Interior Minister Marwan Charbel to ask him to handle the health situation in the prisons and also called Judge Said Mirza to ask him to speed up trials.   

Then, the delegation headed for Roumieh prison to relay Mikati’s message.  

On top of that, Vice Prime Minister Samir Mokbel chaired a meeting of the ministerial committee which is tasked with looking into the prisons’ situation. 

 It was reported that Justice Minister Chakib kortbawi attended the meeting.  

Mokbel explained that the meeting discussed all tabled suggestions and agreed upon the measures that should be undertaken to improve the prisons’ situation as requested.  

“This plan should be discussed with Mikati, before being presented to the cabinet; paving the way for its implementation as soon as possible,” Mokbel added.