The current economic situation is also affecting Lebanon's prisoners, who have reached the point of famine after the Lebanese state cannot pay the dues of merchants and contractors who supply food to the security forces responsible for managing prisons.
This is in addition to the delay in the trials of prisoners as a result of the retreat practiced by judges, the absence of medical supplies, and the lack of hygiene in prisons.
This article was originally published in, translated from Lebanese newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.
The recent fears have grown, with contractors announcing that they will stop delivering foodstuffs as of April 4, 2023, after debts owed to them by the state have accumulated.
According to Asharq al-Awsat, a security source concerned with the prison file admitted that this development is worrying, especially since the contracts concluded with contractors expire on April 4, and they do not wish to renew it, adding that the law does not oblige them to continue.
The source also revealed that meetings have begun between the security forces and the Ministry of Finance to address this crisis, and an attempt to collect an advance for the contractors to cover part of their debts was initiated, adding that some contributions from associations and NGOs may temporarily alleviate the crisis
The deterioration of the Lebanese lira's value against the rise of the US dollar caused significant losses to merchants who delivered the foodstuffs needed to feed the prisoners, including meat, grains, vegetables, bread, and fruits.
According to the newspaper, one of the contractors believed that about 9,000 prisoners cannot live at the expense of individual institutions and small traders, announcing that four commercial establishments contracting with the Internal Security Forces will, on April 4, stop delivering the materials, due to the expiration of the contract and the accumulation of their debts owed by the state.
He said, "Our losses are multiplying daily, and our debts to the state have accumulated for seven months and amount to about 100 billion Lebanese lira. It was worth 500 thousand US dollars, but now it has lost its value and is less than 100 thousand US dollars," considering that the problem lies in the Ministry of Finance, which does not release the dues.