Palestinian refugees abused in Lebanon

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Thursday June 14, 2007 10:32 by Vasilena Todorova - IMEMC News

Lebanese army and security forces have arrested and physically abused Palestinian men from Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) press release issued on Wednesday.

Since Sunday, more than 340 civilians have fled the camp in northern Lebanon, where clashes between the Lebanese army and the armed group Fateh al-Islam is in its fourth week, reported the nongovernmental organization. Looking for associates and supporters of Fateh al-Islam, the Lebanese army detained and questioned many of the fleeing Palestinian men and physically abused some of them. HRW denounced the use of violence as an interrogation tool.

“Lebanese forces can question Palestinians from Nahr al-Bared about Fateh al-Islam, but resorting to physical abuse is clearly against Lebanese law and international human rights standards,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East director of Human Rights Watch.

The organization has documented several cases of Palestinians being kicked, slapped, punched and beaten with weapon butts by interrogators.

“They beat me with their hands, feet and even their weapons on the arms, hands back, and even my face and legs,” one man told HRW. “It lasted, on and off, for about three hours.”

While some Palestinians reported that Lebanese military abused them in detentions, others said that they were questioned for a few hours but not subjected to mistreatment, and were then released.

Some interrogations of Palestinian detainees have been conducted at the Kobbeh military base near Tripoli, while others have taken place at checkpoints and private houses near the camp. Abuses occur not only as Palestinians flee the camp but at other checkpoints across Lebanon, according to sources of HRW.

According to the Lebanese army, 60 soldiers have died since May 20 when the fighting with Fateh al-Islam began. Eleven soldiers died and more than 100 were reportedly wounded over the past weekend alone.

Human Rights Watch has confirmed that at least 20 civilians have lost their lives in shelling and sniper fire from both sides. Some 30,000 Palestinians have fled Nahr al-Bared, most of them settling in the nearby Beddawi refugee camp, said the United Nations. About 3,000 civilians remain inside the camp.

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