NEW INFORMATION ABOUT ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY THE BEIRUT SYRIAN APPOINTED REGIME
Case LBN 200400.2
Second follow-up to case LBN 200400
Geneva, 3rd May 2000
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information regarding the following situation in Lebanon.

New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received new information from a reliable source that 5 persons have been released and that 4 others remain in detention, one of which is detained in a military prison. Jean Paul Dib sentenced by a military court to one month is still detained in the military prison of Noura Palace (Military Police Headquarters).   According to the information, there is no obvious reason for his detention in a military prison where visits are not allowed and
detention conditions are tougher than normal. According to the information received, Paul Bassil, Rabih Maalouly, and Pierre Bassil remain in detention.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is pleased to announce that according to information received, Tony Orian and Ziad Abs completed their sentences and were released on Thursday 27th April.  In addition, Patrick Samaha, sentenced to 10 days, Naim Aoun, sentenced to 21 days and Tony Otayek, sentenced to 21 days, were released on Saturday 29th April 2000, before the end of their sentence.  According to the information received, these last three described very bad conditions of Roumieh Prison where they were detained.
The International Secretariat of OMCT wishes to thank all those institutions, organizations and individuals who intervened on their behalf. Brief reminder of the situation The International Secretariat of OMCT had been informed by a reliable source of the recent wave of arbitrary arrests of many university students during pacific sit-ins held to protest against the alleged arbitrary arrest, on 14 April, of two of their colleagues, Marc Shoucair and Naim Semaany, because of their political activities. Marc Shoucair and Naim Semaany were released on 18 April.
The following students were tried before the military court and sentenced on 19 April to:
TonyOrian, 10 days;
PatrickSamaha, 10 days;
NaimAoun, 21 days;
ZiadAbs, 21 days;
TonyOtayek, 21 days;
PaulBassil, 15 days;
RabihMaalouly, 30 days;
PierreBassil, 45 days;

Mr. Jean Paul Dib was sentenced by the military court on Wednesday 26th April 2000, to one month imprisonment.  He had previously been arrested on Wednesday 19th April 2000.Another student, Sleiman Semaan was briefly arrested on 19 April and released later in the evening. According to information received, families of two of the persons who escaped the arrests are being subjected to persistent harassment and threats.
The International Secretariat of OMCT had received confirmation that two other students Mr. Tarek Traboulsi and Miss Pascale Mourad, arrested in Beirut (near a church), on Saturday 22nd April 2000 whilst distributing a flyer criticising the government, were sentenced by a military court on Wednesday 26th April 2000.  Mr. Traboulsi was sentenced to 10 days imprisonment and Miss Mourad was fined two hundred thousand Lebanese pounds (LBP 200.000), the equivalent of
one hundred and thirty five American dollars ($135).
Furthermore, Mr. Salim Gharios, a lawyer, survived an assault by unidentified civilian elements on Monday 24th April 2000 near his house in Mansourieh (northern suburb of Beirut).  He was reportedly admitted to Hospital and is mainly suffering from head and mandible injuries.  It is
believed that this assault, may be in some way related to the position Mr. Gharios took following the arrest operated among university students during last week, although this is not confirmed.
Action requested:
Please continue to write to the authorities in Lebanon urging them to:
i.  take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and  psychological integrity of Jean Paul Dib, Paul Bassil, Rabih  Maalouly, and Pierre Bassil and order a review of the judicial decisions by a civil court in order that the remainding persons be released taking into consideration the presumed absence of valid legal charges;
ii. put an end to judicial proceedings or the trial of civilians by a military court and their imprisonment in military prisons;
iii.carry out a full and impartial investigation into all circumstances of the alleged arbitrary arrests in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
  Addresses:
Président Libanais Emile Lahoud, { HYPERLINK"mailto:opendoor@presidency.gov.lb"
opendoor@presidency.gov.lb
Premier Ministre Sélim El-Hoss, { HYPERLINK "mailto:marasem@pcm.gov.lb"
marasem@pcm.gov.lb
His Excellency Joseph Shaoul, Minister of Justice Ministry of justice,
Palais de justice, Beirut Republic of Lebanon. Fax: +961 1 422 957 (say "Fax, please")
His Excellency Michel Murr Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
interior Office of the Prime Minister Grand Serail, Rue des Arts et
Metiers, Sanayehj, Beirut, Republic of Lebanon. Fax: +961 1 869 813
Mr. "Adnan" Addoum, Prosecutor General, Palais de Justice, Beirut
Republic of Lebanon
Fax: +961 1 423 790
Mr. Michel Lian, President of the Bar, Beirut Bar Association, Fax: +9611 427 982
Geneva, May 3, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT)
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT)
8 rue du Vieux-Billard
Case postale 21
CH-1211 Geneve 8
Suisse/Switzerland
Tel. : 0041 22 809 49 39
Fax : 0041 22 809 43 29
E-mail : omct@omct.org
http://www.omct.org
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