HRW condemns “pressure on Syrian refugees to leave Lebanon”

Human Rights Watch condemned on Friday the decision made by the Lebanese authorities to demolish concrete shelters built by Syrian refugees, dubbing it as “an illegitimate pressure”  on Syrian refugees to leave Lebanon.

 

This crackdown on housing code violations should be seen for what it is, which is illegitimate pressure on Syrian refugees to leave Lebanon,” said Bill Frelick, refugee rights director at Human Rights Watch, who watched Syrian refugees in Arsal and the Bekaa Valley demolish their shelters. “Many of those affected have real reasons to fear returning to Syria, including arrests, torture, and ill-treatment by Syrian intelligence branches.”

 

“The demolition order is one of many recent actions to crank up pressure on Syrian refugees to go back,” Frelick said.

 

“They include ramped up arrests and deportations, closing of shops, and confiscation or destruction of unlicensed vehicles, on top of other long-standing restrictions, including curfews and evictions, and barriers to refugee education, legal residency, and work authorization.”

 

 “Lebanon shouldn’t create pressures that cumulatively coerce refugees to return involuntarily in conditions that are not conducive to a safe and dignified return,” he concluded by saying.