Relatives of Islamist prisoners held in Roumieh prison protested Friday in the northern city of Tripoli, vowing to maintain their peaceful movement until the return of their loved ones.
Some 350 people, including women and children, marched from Mansouri Mosque, walking through several streets of the port city, until they gathered at Noure Square holding banners slamming the government and demanding the release of the inmates.
“Congratulations to the judicial system in Lebanon for winning the first place internationally in terms of the longest period of detention without trial,” one placard read.
Around 300 prisoners were detained in 2007 on charges of fighting or aiding fighters in clashes between the Lebanese Army and Fatah al-Islam at the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared, near Tripoli.
The relatives of the detainees have held several protests in the past demanding the release of their loved ones. The inmates themselves have also rioted at the prison. The pressure to resolve their case prompted the government in 2012 to begin preparations for their trials and to release those who have already served their sentence.
Pretrial for some of the detainees were launched in February.
During Friday’s protest organized by Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Sheikh Mohammad Ibrahim accused authorities in Lebanon of being biased against the Islamists.
“The authority in Lebanon is unfair and certainly treats people selectively on the basis of sects and confessions and its judiciary is always biased against the Islamists,” Ibrahim told the crowds, speaking on behalf of the families.
“Whoever is an Islamist, their fate is unknown in prisons that are not even fit to house an animal and whoever is an agent [working with Israel] then they are dignified and live freely,” he added, calling on every Muslim to support their cause.
According to the preacher, the resigned government promised a month and half ago to release at least 60 prisoners.
"Our popular and peaceful actions will continue and we say to the political and judicial authorities to consider the revolutions that brought down tyrants around you," he said.
The protesters also listened to a recording by one of the sheikhs being held in Roumieh who thanked them for their continuous support.
