Lebanese Prisoners Hunger Strike Over Amnesty Law Suspension
Lebanese inmates continue hunger strike over general amnesty law suspension, highlighting dire conditions in overcrowded prisons.
Lebanese Prisoners Stage Hunger Strike Over Amnesty Law Suspension
In a protest highlighting the grim conditions within Lebanon’s detention facilities, approximately 400 prisoners at Roumieh prison have surpassed two weeks on a hunger strike. This action began on September 12 in response to the suspension of a general amnesty law that promised significant relief for many inmates.
Mohammed Sablouh, a Lebanese lawyer and director of the Prisoners’ Rights Center at the Tripoli Bar Association, voiced concerns about the deteriorating health of those refusing all sustenance, including food, water, and medication. He described the situation as dire, with ambulances frequently called to the prison to address health emergencies.
Protests Arising from Legal Suspension
The controversial amnesty law offered the potential for sentence reductions or releases for those held on minor charges. However, the abrupt halt in the law’s progression led to unrest both inside and outside the prison. Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city, has seen protests advocating for the law’s reinstatement, particularly for those detained for minor offenses linked to past political conflicts.
Many hunger strikers were initially imprisoned for actions related to the Syrian uprising, a conflict that saw a dramatic regime change in Syria in 2024. The Free Patriotic Movement has challenged the applicability of the amnesty, especially concerning those accused of terrorism-related offenses, prompting an impending review by Lebanon’s Constitutional Council.
Overcrowding and Legal Delays Intensify Crisis
Lebanon’s prisons are notoriously overcrowded, with the current inmate count nearly double the facilities’ intended capacity. Alarming statistics reveal that over the years, many detainees have languished without trial, while prison overcrowding has reached over 330% of designed capacity.
In response to these troubling conditions, a law intending to alleviate prison congestion was passed in August 2026. However, continued legal and bureaucratic postponements thwarted its execution, exacerbating dire conditions that, according to Sablouh, contributed to numerous deaths in custody last year.
The judiciary’s apparent disregard for procedural limits on detention terms, as outlined in Article 108, has been a central factor in the overcrowding. Efforts to address this systemic backlog have faltered, intensifying calls for urgent judicial reforms and adherence to legal detention limits to prevent further deterioration of inmates’ rights and health.
Photo by Adolfo Félix on Unsplash
