Lebanon: authorities take a series of measures against Syrian refugees

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on March 27, 2023 in Beirut. AP - Hussein Malla

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Faced with calls from the international community and humanitarian organizations to stop the expulsions of displaced Syrians, the Lebanese authorities responded forcefully on Wednesday 26 April. Lebanon is home to nearly 840,000 Syrians registered with the United Nations and hundreds of thousands more non-registered.

Advertising

Read more

With our correspondent in Beirut, Paul Khalifeh

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Wednesday (April 26th) convened several members of his government and the heads of the army and security services to discuss the Syrian refugee issue. After hours of deliberation, the Lebanese authorities gave the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees a one-week deadline to provide them with all its demographic data on the Syrian presence in Lebanon.

The Minister of Justice was also instructed to examine with Damascus "the possibility of immediately handing over detainees and convicts to Syria", in accordance with the agreements signed between the two countries.

Lebanese officials have also pledged to continue "voluntary return of displaced Syrians" operations, organized without the consent of the international community, which considers the repatriations unsafe. Measures will also be taken to register the births of Syrian nationals in Lebanon, in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Another decision taken on Wednesday was the withdrawal of refugee status from any Syrian who left Lebanese territory at any time. According to unofficial figures, the number of Syrians in Lebanon represents 30% of the population. Rising tensions between Lebanese and Syrian communities have resulted in increased incidents and tighter security measures in recent weeks.

► READ ALSO: Syrians expelled from Lebanon would have been tortured on their return to their country

Newsletter Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

Read on on the same topics:

  • Lebanon
  • Syria
  • UN
  • Refugees
  • Najib Mikati