Amnesty International condemned Lebanon’s military court on Tuesday for its failure to hold security forces officers responsible for Syrian refugee Bashar Abd Saud’s death in custody accountable.

Bashar Abd Saud, 30, was arrested on August 30, 2022, by Lebanon’s State Security agency on accusations of possessing a counterfeit $50 bill. A day later, his body was returned to his family, covered in bruises, whip marks, burns, and cuts. A forensic report confirmed he had died from intense pain caused by severe torture, resulting in heart and circulatory failure.

Following Saud’s death, Lebanese authorities charged five State Security officers but controversially referred the case to Lebanon’s military court. Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, argue that the military court lacks independence, with judges appointed by the defense minister, making it unsuitable for cases involving security force abuses. According to Lebanon’s 2017 Anti-Torture Law, torture cases should be tried in civilian courts. However, repeated requests from Saud’s family and their lawyer to transfer the case to a civilian court were denied.

Ghida Frangieh, head of litigation at Legal Agenda, said “[t]he military justice system cannot bring justice for his family”. The family’s lawyer, Mohammad Sablouh, reported additional challenges in court, including intense pressure to withdraw the complaint and the rejection of video evidence of torture.

The 2017 Anti-Torture Law, enacted after Lebanon ratified the UN Convention Against Torture, mandates that civilian courts alone should handle torture cases, excluding military jurisdiction. The law intended to ensure that victims of torture could seek justice through an impartial civilian judiciary. However, Aya Majzoub, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa said:

Instead of issuing a powerful rebuke of torture within the security system, with this ruling, the military court has sent a chilling message that members of the security services are above the law and that perpetrators of torture can continue to commit crimes without fearing they will be held accountable.

In response to Saud’s case, human rights groups have called for Lebanon to uphold its anti-torture commitments, urging that security forces be held accountable in ordinary criminal courts to ensure an independent, fair process. Without such reforms, Lebanon’s judiciary risks reinforcing a system of impunity for abuses committed by security forces, advocates warn.