Following the attack by Muslim Fundamentalists on innocent civilians in the area of Dinnieh in North Lebanon and after a clash with the Lebanese Army, the Lebanese Security Forces executed a series of house raids in the city of Tripoli and its suburbs, which led to the arrests of innocent people who were not involved in the incident. Those arrested were beaten, tortured and later found innocent. The detainees included Khaled Ahmad Zaaroor, Aamer Moustafa Kaddoor, Mohammad AbdulKareem KhaZondar, Khaled Mouhammad Hasan Abdul-Kader, Said Muhyi-El-Deen Al-labibidi and Khaldoon Fouad Minawi.

The body of the 60-year-old sister Antoinette Zaydan from the Antonine Order was discovered by the road leading to the city of Hadath. The medical examiner's report indicated that she was tortured and sexually assaulted before she was strangled. They also found that a cross was carved with a knife on her chest. No investigation was conducted into the killing.

The Government prohibited the organization SOLIDE (Support for Lebanese in Detention and Exile) from holding a lecture on Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons which was scheduled to take place in the convention hall at the La Sagesse University in Ashrafieh.

Members of the Free National Current were subjected to a campaign of arrests and detention.

Mark Shukair and Naim Semainy, were detained for being members of the Free National Current. Also, on Good Friday in the area of Furn-El_Shubbak/Ain El-Roummaneh during the holy cross procession, few Muslim Shiite males interrupted the procession, insulted the sanctity of the Christian faith and physically assaulted participants in the procession.

The government banned a gathering by lawyers at the hotel Alexander in Ashrafieh.

The government banned a dinner gala for the members of FNC at the restaurant Arabi in AL-Hazemieh.

Maroon Nasrani was arrested and the house of Hikmat Deeb was surrounded and raided, both are engineers.

The government violently stopped two demonstrations by students injuring 13; among them were Tony Ateek, Tony Oryan, Patrick Semaha and Naim Aoun. Some students were detained; among them Rabi Malooly, Paul Basil and Wilianon El-Meer. Other students were convicted at the Military Court for distribution of leaflets, which demanded the Syrian forces withdrawal from Lebanon. April 19, 2000

Marked the 6th anniversary of the imprisonment of Dr. Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces Party. Despite the General Amnesty Law applied to crimes committed during the war and provided by the Taef Agreement [1] , Dr. Geagea was subjected to a series of trials in which he was given death sentences commuted to life in prison with hard labor [2]. The General Amnesty Law has several loopholes, which allowed the government to use it as a political tool against the opposition. War crimes shall be pardoned under this law except those turned over to the Judicial Council. This provision discriminates between victims and renders people unequal in the eyes of the law. This same provision was used to prosecute Dr. Geagea after he repeatedly refused to accept a Ministerial Position. Human Rights organizations deemed the trials unfair and claimed they fell below the international fair trial minimum standards. Testimonies upon which judges relied to rule in those cases were extracted under duress and despite the fact that witnesses later recanted their testimonies and declared that they were forced to testify, the judgments against Dr. Geagea stood. It is to note that these rulings are final and not subject to appeal. 

Since he was first incarcerated till today, he is kept in solitary confinement in a cell three stories underground in the Ministry of Defense jail. The cell is poorly ventilated and deprived from sunlight. Dr. Geagea suffered several health set backs especially from humidity and was hospitalized on several occasions. He is denied any connection with the outside world except short visits from his wife, parents and lawyers. Those visits are usually monitored and censored and do not extend beyond twenty minutes. Jail officials do not abide by court orders and shorten his visits with his wife and parents to a quarter of an hour instead of a half-hour on Tuesdays and to twenty minutes instead of an hour on Thursdays. When led out of his cell, he is blindfolded and his hands are shackled. His lawyers noticed some bruises on his face and were told that while blindfolded, sometimes he is led into hitting sharp objects or falling down on the stairs. Dr. Geagea rarely complains to his family or lawyers for fear they would worry about him. Despite the right he is given to a one-hour walk in the jail yard everyday, this right is often denied and without prior notice.

His cell is often raided at night and wildly searched leaving the little he possesses broken and torn apart. Lebanese Authorities claim that his solitary imprisonment is for his own protection while no attempts were made to improve his cell situation. He has lost a lot of weight and his family expressed a great concern for his health. He also is prohibited from discussing any political issues with his family or lawyers and denied access to political publications and media.   When his lawyers drafted a proposed amnesty law, prison officials refused to allow him to discuss or review the proposal before submission.

Internal Security Forces raided the buildings of the  “Saint Joseph University” and arrested 24 students who took part in a demonstration against the Syrian military presence in Lebanon. Afterwards, four other students from different universities were arrested and transported to the Military Police center in Sin El-Feel and to the Internal Security Police headquarters in Beirut. Three of those students are Raymond Hayek, Patrick Khoury and Ziyad Abs.

The 70-year-old citizen Boutros Njeim was arrested and transported to the Ministry of Defense in Yarze on charges of collaboration with Israel simply because he worked as a cook for the SLA (South Lebanese Army).

Foreign publications were banned from distribution following the death of Syrian President Hafez Assad because they allegedly defamed the late Syrian President or his successor, Dr. Bachar Assad. The Surete seized at the airport the General Herald Tribune, Le- Monde, Le Figaro, Liberation, Economist, Financial Times, Newsweek and Time.

Muhamad Mughrabi, a human rights activist and lawyer, was subject to numerous threats, police harassment and legal actions as a result of lectures he held and in which he criticized Judges, accusing them of bribery and misuse of power.

Mr. Saleem Gharios, a member of the Lebanese Lawyers Union, was transported to a nearby hospital after being ambushed in front of his house in the Northern Metn area. He was physically assaulted and badly beaten by armed civilian elements. Mr. Gharios publicly condemned the haphazard, random and illegal arrests by the Ministry of Interior security apparatus. People recognized the attackers as members of the security apparatus loyal to then Minister of Interior, Michel Murr.

Jamal Yaseen in Roomieh Central Prison died of an asthma attack, ten days after his incarceration due to the lack of hygiene in prison. In some prisons, the lack of heat presented a serious health peril. Baalbeck prison does not have any heating mechanism or appliances at a time when the temperature dips down to zero degrees Celsius in the winter season.  

20 people were kidnapped from the southern village of Aitaroon by armed elements of Hezbollah.

Salah Noor El-Deen was fined 900,000 Lebanese pounds and sentenced to one year in jail by the military court for publicly displaying joy upon receiving news about the death of Syrian President Hafez Assad.

A musical performance “Nashid El-Anashid”, part of the Baalbek Festival, was censored because some of its texts were based on the Old Testament's Song of Solomon, King of Israel.     

A delegation from “International Penal Reform”, a London based organization concerned with monitoring and reforming prison systems in more than 50 countries worldwide, took a tour of prisons in Lebanon. The delegation noted the poor prison conditions and how they do not meet international minimum standards.

The diabetic 72 year-old Gerges Saiid died due to ill treatment and lack of medical care. Prison authorities confiscated medication from Saiid on the pretext of it having been manufactured in Israel.

Mouhammad Mahmood Hussein complained to the Military Court that he was tortured, beaten and mounted on a torture device known as "Balanco" [4] many times during the preliminary interrogation after he was charged with forging of Customs receipts.

Judge John Fahd, known to have close ties with then Minister of Interior Michel Murr, was appointed General Prosecutor for the Court of Appeal in Mount Lebanon District as a successor to Judge Ghaleb Ghanem who in turn was promoted as the head of State Council. This appointment was fiercely resisted by the Supreme Justice Council who voted for the position Judge Jihad El-Wadi, Appellate General Counselor but the government decision stood.

Five students belonging to FNC were arrested after they attempted to sell Lebanese agricultural products at a low price as a protest against the flooding of the Lebanese market with Syrian fruits and vegetables. One of the customers was also arrested.

Yousef Eid from Besherre and Victor Jaarah from Jubeil, both residents of Jounieh, were arrested for distributing leaflets calling for the boycott of parliamentary elections and for the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty.

A high voltage pole was erected at the entrance of the “Our Lady Of Habeel” church in Jbeil despite the vast and empty lands surrounding the church. The pole made it impossible for people to gather after church and disrupted all religious activities.

The Syrian authorities released 54 detainees from its prisons: 47 Lebanese, 6 Palestinians, and 1 Egyptian.

Both the Lebanese and Syrian authorities insisted that no more Lebanese are detained in Syrian jails. An outcry from the families led to Syria admitting that it still has in its custody 95 Lebanese nationals sentenced to jail for committing non political crimes in Syria. However, the list they submitted did not include the names of those who are visited on regular basis by their families nor those known to be held in Syrian jails. Of those are: George Shlaweet (Lebanese Forces), Tony Tamer, Samir Hajj and Boutros Khawand (Lebanese Kataeb), and Fouad Khouri, Najib Germani, Rashid Hosn, Abdullah Shehade, Bassam Semaan, Redwan Yaseen, Yousef Semaan. Furthermore, the following Lebanese Army soldiers are still in Syrian custody, Johnny Naseef, Marwan Zoghby, Michael Hasbany, Joseph Azar, sergeant Elie Saad Hadad, corporal Elia Yousef Aoun and Jihad George Eid [3].

Adnan Shaaban, a retired army officer and a contributor to Al-Nahar newspaper, was detained at the Justice Palace over some articles he wrote about the imbalance in the Lebanese-Syrian relations. The Al-Nahar Editor-In-Chief Unsi El-Hajj and the Executive Director Joseph Nasr were also subpoenaed and investigated. The head of the Surete Generale, Brigadier Jamil Sayyed issued an order preventing Mr. Shaaban from leaving the country.

The government launched a campaign of arrests against members of the Lebanese Forces Party in different areas of Lebanon. This was in retaliation for the heavy participation of thousands of Lebanese Forces members in the two memorial church masses, one was held on September 14, 2000 and was dedicated to the memory of the late Lebanese President Bashir Gemayel [4] , and the second was held on September 17, 2000 and was dedicated to the memory of the martyrs of the Lebanese Forces Party. The Lebanese Security Forces erected roadblocks to prevent participants from reaching the church in Mayfouk village in North of Lebanon causing a traffic whereby people were stuck in their cars for over 7 hours. The campaign of arrests, which followed the mass, was executed at night using civilian-armed elements who raided the homes and destroyed furniture and other household items after they arrested the occupants, usually students, common employees and family bread winners and led them in a very insulting manner blindfolded to the interrogation centers in Tripoli, Zahle, Deir Al-Ahmar, Jubeil, Hadath El-Jebbe, Yarze, Sarba, Zalka, Ashrafieh and Ein El-Roummaneh. Some of those detained were: Shadi Aoun, Emile Mokarzel, Fadi Shamati, Simon Sarkis, Salman Semaha, Joseph Rahme, Tony Kairouz, Sharbel Taouk, Milad Taouk, Sharbel Imad, Ghandi Rahme, Milad Assaf, Raymond Sukkar, Nabil AbouShakra, Fadi Sayegh, Tony Sayegh, Vincent Sebo, Michelle Sebo, Fares Traboulsi, Rafael Abbood, Dany Mizher, Jawad Daou, Tony Salmoon, Wael Nahhas, Elie Abdoo, Pierre Kareem, Eddy Abi-El-Lamaa, Pierre Adam, Simeon Fyad, Elie Tratneek, Ghassan Azooz, Sharbel Eid, Tanious Eid, Joseph Ishak, Daniel BouShaheen, George Zeyna, Nabil Geagea, Emile Shibly, Marwan Moubarak, Paul EL-Shaer, Carlos Ishak, Saliba Sakr, Farah Hadshity, Tony Said Taouk, Ghazi Geagea, Pierre Boulos, Tony   Mereab, Laba Mereab, Tony Gebara, Yousef Deeb, Lebal Said, Elie Tooma, Showki Karam, Paul Sfeir, Sobhi Andari, Faridi Kairouz, Sharbel Zeyna Rahme, Sharbel Boulos, Sharbel K Nakhoul, Fadi Abdul-Sater, Nidal Maroon, Suleiman EL-Shidyak, Tony Hany, Tony El-Meer, Tony Koubaiter, George Deeb Geagea, Sarkis Sakr, Zyad Khouri, Boulos Nooh, Raymond El-Wadi, Sarkis El-Hashim, Michelle Fares, Boutros Boutros, Joseph Abdo, George El-Alam, Beshara Taouk and Ramzi Andari.

Tens of arrests took place in the city of Zahle, targeting members of the Lebanese Forces Party and the Lebanese Kataeb Party.

Pressures exerted on the TV station LBC (Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation) escalated to armed elements, loyal to the pro-Syrian Minister Suleiman Franjieh, surrounding its main building. Minister Franjieh, who owns some shares in the TV station, was dissatisfied with the extensive coverage the station was giving to the communique issued by the Maronite Bishops Council and other Christian leaders opposing Syrian military presence in Lebanon. As a result, the TV station’s news program was put under direct political censorship.

Armed elements from Hezbollah attempted to forcefully shut down "Saint Joseph" school which is administered by nuns of the “Two Holy Hearts” order in Ain-Ebel (Bint Jbeil) in protest of an agreement reached two years prior between the school’s administration and the parents of 8 Muslim female students which dictates that Muslim girls would remove the veil when they enter the school’s campus.     

The Security Forces subpoenaed Saleem Aoun, an Engineer living in Zahleh and belonging to the FNC.   

Elements of Security Forces entered the church of Saint George in Ghalboon interrupting the celebration of the mass and escorted out the student Hanna Shaheen who belongs to the FNC. On the same day, the Security Forces arrested Michael Harb and Jad Hitti who were on their way to church to Saint Elias church in Antelias.

Elements of the Syrian Intelligence apparatus illegally arrested the Lebanese citizen George Koudees in Tripoli.

Fouad Saniora was appointed as Minister of Finance, 24 hours before the Court of Cassation had to render a verdict in his case.   Mr. Saniora was charged with fraud and mishandling of public funds, and signing an agreement with the Italian government leaving the Lebanese Government with the financial responsibility.

The 19 years old Sudanese national Awd-Allah Joom Jakroom died in Roumieh Central Prison. Furthermore, the swarming facilities amplified negative effects on morals and social interactions and behaviors. The number of incidents reported on perverted sexual behavior and fistfights between the prisoners grew higher in year 2000 with the growing prison population.

Elements of the Syrian Intelligence apparatus arrested the two brothers Omar and Samer Massood at their home in the town of Aandalakt and escorted them to the Halba headquarters where they were beaten viciously and insulted.

The government banned a dinner organized by members of the FNC at the Al-Karmeh restaurant in Dahr El-Wahsh.

A lecture by Gebran Tweini, Editor-In-Chief of Al-Nahar Newspaper, was canceled after armed forced deployed at the School of the “Two Holy Hearts” where the lecture was supposed to be held. Pressures were exerted upon the administration to cancel the event. Tweini is known to be a vocal opponent of the Syrian military presence in Lebanon.

John Hanna, Jimmy Jabbour, Joseph Jabbour, Alexi Eskander and Tony BouAssi, residents of Akkar were escorted to the Syrian Intelligence headquarters.

The 45 year-old Barakat Al-Ameel died of high blood pressure, as Military General Prosecutor Nasri Lahoud claimed, after being interrogated with for four days.  

The newspaper Neda-El-Watan seized its publication after a series of harassments and pressures by Security Forces over voicing opinions not aligned with those of the Lebanese government.

Abd-El-Mounem Karoot died of heart failure at the Roumieh high-security jail even before being questioned. Despite the physical evidence of torture on the bodies of the victims, the government rushed into closing the files and prohibited lawyers from further questioning or challenging the medical examiner’s report. Furthermore, the accused is subject to great humiliation and the Lebanese law concerning the rights of the accused is often violated.

Security Forces surrounded a university youth camp organized by the Free National Current (FNC) in the town of Bijje in Jubeil casa and arrested Alexi AbdulKareem, Akl Hayek and Jawad Abi Akl in addition to the mayor of the town Tannous El-Khoury

[1] The Taef agreement to end the war in Lebanon was sponsored by the Arab League and endorsed by the United States. It was named after the city in Saudi Arabia in which the meeting was held for the signing of the agreement.  

[2] The General Amnesty Law provides for a total amnesty except when a crime is committed after the Taef Agreement was in effect. Dr. Geagea was accused of bombing Saidit al Najat Church in the Eastern part of Beirut and found innocent; however, his war file was opened. No further investigation was conducted into the identity of the real perpetrators.  

[3] The list of names is larger and provided by SOLIDE (Support for Lebanese in Detention and Exile). Those we indicated are the ones whose families have evidences of their whereabouts. Please refer to a separate report that we prepared and solely devoted to the issue of Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons.

[4] President Bachir Gemayel founded the Lebanese Forces. He was assassinated on September 14, 1982.