Beirut, Lebanon - October 23, 2023 & Bekaa, Lebanon - October 27, 2023
The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) and Oxfam joined forces in organizing a roundtable discussion to launch a research report entitled "Lebanon's Juvenile Justice System - Between Law and Reality" under a project with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (Danida). This report addresses the situation of minors in Lebanon, emphasizes the deficiencies within Law 422/2002, highlights the misapplication of the current law, and monitors any instances of gender-based discriminatory practices.
The event, held at Citea Hotel – Achrafieh in Beirut and at Massabki Hotel in the Bekaa, brought together esteemed attendees, including judges, and representatives from local and international NGOs, as well as lawyers.
The event, facilitated by Dr.Issam Sbat, Attorney at Law, was divided into different main sessions:
During the first session entitled “Research Background and Objectives, Methodology, Key Findings and Insights”, Atty. Janawa Saaibi discussed in detail the process of choosing this specific topic, the collection of information and interviews with relevant parties such as Lawyers, Heads of prisons, and representatives of local and international NGOs. Based on the findings, this research was developed into 6 main parts: General overview of the legal framework of the juvenile system, discriminatory practices juveniles are subjected to, difficult situations juveniles go through during and after trial, loopholes in Law 422/2022, challenges faced by different professionals in this field, and recommendations to relevant parties.
Atty. Saria Kenaan and Atty. Wedad El Abed, respectively in the Bekaa and Beirut, both presented during the expert panel session loopholes and deficiencies in Law 422/2002, as well as challenges that stand in the way of respecting juveniles’ most basic rights. The challenges and loopholes include but are not limited to the necessity of stipulating that preliminary investigations are to be nullified in case a social worker isn’t present with the minors, a fact legislator omitted in the current version of Law 422/2002. A social analysis should be made and submitted to the investigator ensuring the proper administration of justice from the beginning of the investigation. In this context, Atty. Widad noted that the principle of secrecy of trials in regard to cases involving minors and adults tried before the ordinary criminal court, is not protected as the judge refuses to conduct the hearing in private, which goes against Law 422/2002. Both speakers also stressed the importance of informing judges and lawyers to issue their decisions as procedures rather than sanctions, in order to focus on reforming juveniles rather than punishing them, knowing that sanctions greatly affect minors and can lead them to have a criminal record.
A general discussion with the participants ensued, during which they voiced their opinions and gave their recommendations, with the most important ones being the necessity to train judges, lawyers, social workers and staff on the contents and procedures of Law 422/2002, stressing on having specialized professionals in all stages starting with law enforcement, establishing a public prosecutor's office specialized in juveniles, as well as assigning social representatives, judges and lawyers specialized in juveniles, and adding the Law 422/2002 study to Law School curriculums. Judge Marie Layous also highlighted the importance of collaboration between organizations working with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry itself in order to create a list of organizations that work with juveniles, along with the services they provide, and distributing it among Judges who work with juveniles, aiming to transfer minors to organizations that can help them.
For media inquiries, please contact:
comm@cldh-lebanon.org
+961 1 886 676
About CLDH:
The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) is a local non-profit, non-partisan Lebanese human rights organization. It was founded in 2006 in Beirut by the Franco-Lebanese Movement SOLIDA (Support for Lebanese Detained Arbitrarily). CLDH’s complementary components include advocacy, public mobilization, rehabilitation for victims of torture and families of enforced disappearances, the provision of pro-bono legal services for vulnerable groups regardless of nationality or status, and the organization of capacity building activities to key stakeholders in the human rights field.
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About Oxfam:
Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Across regions, from the local to the global, we work with people to bring change that lasts.
Our work is grounded in the commitment to the universality of human rights. Driven by diversity and finding our asks in evidence and experience, we take sides against poverty and injustice everywhere. Feminist approaches guide all our analysis, action, and interaction.
https://www.oxfam.org/en/what-we-do/countries/lebanon
