Lebanon will not deport six men from Deraa in Syria after they were arrested last month for illegally crossing the border, the country’s top intelligence official has said.
“General Security will not deport the six Syrians and will work to regularise their legal status,” Abbas Ibrahim, who leads the powerful agency, told AFP
The arrest of the men, five of whom are former rebel fighters, in August sparked outcry amid fears that they would be returned to Syria, where they would probably face imprisonment or torture.
Family members told The National that for days they were unable to find the men, who had disappeared near the Syrian embassy in Beirut, sparking fears they might be quietly sent back to Syria.
A statement from the Lebanese Army confirmed the six had been arrested for entering Lebanon illegally. They were then turned over to General Security.
On September 5, their lawyer, Mohammed Sablouh, was told they had 24 hours to secure passports and visas to a third country or face deportation. The deadline was later extended, and had been set to end on Wednesday.
The 11th hour decision reversal was welcomed by rights groups and Mr Sablouh.
The regime of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has sealed a punishing siege on Deraa, a long-standing pocket of resistance.
The UN says that at least 35,000 people have been displaced from the southern city over the summer.
Earlier on Wednesday, Amnesty International called on the security agency to urgently halt the deportations.
“Deporting these men would be a flagrant violation of Lebanon’s international obligations, including under the UN Torture Convention,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty’s director for the Middle East and North Africa.
“Our message is loud and clear: Syria is not safe for returnees.
"The Syrian authorities continue to commit appalling human rights violations and atrocities, and sending refugees back to Syria is tantamount to knowingly putting their lives in danger.
"We urge the Lebanese authorities to stop all forced deportations and respect pledges made on refugee rights, including on legal protection and non-refoulement."
In a letter to Amnesty in December, General Security said that Lebanon had deported 6,002 people to Syria since May 2019.
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Brief scores
Day 1
Toss England, chose to bat
England, 1st innings 357-5 (87 overs): Root 184 not out, Moeen 61 not out, Stokes 56; Philander 3-46
Awar Qalb
Director: Jamal Salem
Starring: Abdulla Zaid, Joma Ali, Neven Madi and Khadija Sleiman
Two stars
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
SHAITTAN
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
