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Suicide Attempts among Syrian Prisoners Put Lebanon’s Deportation Standards under Scrutiny

A video clip leaked from a Lebanese prison is circulating about an attempt by prisoners to commit suicide.
A video clip leaked from a Lebanese prison is circulating about an attempt by prisoners to commit suicide.
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Suicide Attempts among Syrian Prisoners Put Lebanon’s Deportation Standards under Scrutiny

A video clip leaked from a Lebanese prison is circulating about an attempt by prisoners to commit suicide.
A video clip leaked from a Lebanese prison is circulating about an attempt by prisoners to commit suicide.

Four suicide attempts by Syrian prisoners in Lebanon have cast shadow on the difficult situation in prisons, prompting international human rights organizations to monitor the extent to which standards for deporting Syrians have been adopted after the expiration of their sentences in Lebanon.
An informed security source explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that the prisoners, who tried to hang themselves inside Roumieh prison, were “two brothers and two of their relatives, and they were among those who defected from the Syrian army months after the start of the uprising in Syria and joined armed organizations, and are being tried in terrorism cases in Lebanon.”
The security source revealed that the prisoners “tried to commit suicide after they were informed that Lebanese authorities had handed over the two brothers’ sibling to the Syrian regime on the first of March.”
The Lebanese government and the United Nations signed an agreement stipulating that no Syrian person would be extradited to his country if he was a defector from the regime forces or who joined the Syrian uprising.
The security source confirmed that United Nations organizations present in Lebanon are “closely monitoring the cases of Syrians tried in Lebanon, and tracking their fate after they have served their sentence.”
The growing number of Syrian prisoners exacerbates the prison crisis in Lebanon now that they represent 28.5 percent of the prison population, according to informed sources.
“There are 1,850 Syrians distributed in Lebanese prisons, in addition to dozens in temporary detention centers,” the sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
For his part, lawyer Mohammad Sablouh, the representative of a number of Islamist prisoners, warned of the danger of extraditing wanted Syrians to their country under the pretext of reducing the burden on Lebanon’s prisons or in implementation of judicial rulings requiring deportation after the end of the sentence.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the pretext of the high number of detained Syrian nationals does not justify the extradition of Syrian dissidents to their country. The number of opposition prisoners “is very, very small compared to those prosecuted for ordinary criminal charges”, he noted
“The suicide attempt in Roumieh prison is disturbing, and may encourage others to end their lives instead of being handed over to the Assad regime, which continues to torture them and then liquidate them,” Sablouh stated.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.