Roumieh Prison courthouse revamp: Lebanon fast-tracks terrorism trials to tackle overcrowding

Report by Nada Andraos, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

On October 15, 2012, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and Justice Minister Shakib Kortbawi inaugurated the courthouse at Roumieh Prison.

At the time, the government decided to establish the building within the central prison to expedite the trial process for Islamist detainees and those accused of terrorism, in addition to reducing the security risks associated with transferring them to courts outside the prison.

The state funded the courthouse's construction, with the Council for Development and Reconstruction overseeing the project for $2.5 million.

The building was inaugurated with promises of speeding up trials, yet little progress was made. 

Most detainees remained without trial for years despite Roumieh being Lebanon's largest prison, operating at three times its capacity. In addition, prisoners face harsh living conditions, a lack of healthcare, and poor nutrition.

The situation in Roumieh Prison escalated in 2014 when Islamist inmates staged a rebellion, taking control of parts of the prison. Security forces regained control and suppressed the revolt.

The Interior and Justice Ministers announced plans to address the overcrowding issue in Lebanon's prisons by accelerating trials and activating the court within Roumieh to expedite the cases of Islamists and terrorist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and the Army.

By accelerating the trials, a significant number of detainees who have been held in pretrial detention for extended periods without trial will have their cases addressed.

These trials include long-awaited cases such as those of detainees from the Nahr al-Bared camp events and the 2007 Fatah al-Islam terrorists, as well as members of Ahmed al-Assir's group, which attacked the Army in Aabra in 2013, and other detainees affiliated with terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda, ISIS, and other radical groups that carried out attacks against the Lebanese Army, bombings, and suicide missions against civilians in Beirut, Beirut's southern suburbs, Tripoli, and Bekaa, involving Lebanese, Syrians, and Palestinians.

Ultimately, accelerating trials and resolving pending cases will help alleviate prison overcrowding and ensure that the necessary punishments are enforced and fair judgments are made according to the law for all detainees, whether convicted or not. 

More importantly, it will bring justice to the victims' families and loved ones, both military and civilian, who these groups killed.