Beirut, 10 May 2024 - The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH), with the support of the Norwegian Embassy in Beirut, organized a roundtable discussion on the regulation of forensic medicine with forensic doctors, funded by the Norwegian Embassy in Beirut. The discussion constitutes part of CLDH’s ongoing efforts to protect individuals and suspects upholding their rights through advocacy and policy action, as well as to defend suspects who fall victim to any human rights violations.
The event’s moderator, Lawyer and Legal Consultant Dr. Issam Sbat, opened the discussion by introducing the Center and its ongoing projects. This was followed by an overview of the prevalent gaps in Lebanon's anti-torture law and fundamental amendments that must be accounted for. Dr. Sbat also highlighted the importance of the forensic profession for justice, particularly in cases of torture, while identifying some of the laws passed in recent years relating to suspects’ rights.
In the subsequent section, CLDH representatives and forensic doctors led a productive discussion on the proper methods to prove torture and the importance of conducting a professional autopsy to detect the actual cause of death and ensure that legal proceedings are conducted as necessary. Equally important, the forensic doctors appointed must be professionally registered in the Department of Forensic Medicine, which is not always the case. Doctors also mentioned the procedures required for registration in the Ministry of Justice, stressing that several doctors were appointed based on sectarian or political favoritism. Lawyer and Legal Consultant Atty. Widad El Abed stressed the importance of clarity and accuracy of the forensic doctor's report and its impact on the legal course and fair trial. The doctors also presented samples of cases they have encountered during their careers.
Forensic doctors also shared the difficulties and challenges they face in collecting evidence, the lack of well-equipped and professional laboratories in Lebanon, low salaries, and other problems that hinder their work. Participants also suggested possible solutions to protect individuals' and potential suspects’ rights to achieve justice. This included the necessary evidence of torture as experienced by the victim, particularly during the preliminary investigation period. In the same context, the doctors recommended to judges that they appoint specialized forensic doctors who are exclusively registered with the Department of Forensic Medicine and that the judge be present during the autopsy process.
Finally, CLDH considers this meeting a valuable opportunity to strengthen the relationship between CLDH and forensic doctors, to enhance collaboration in the ongoing work to protect suspects' and individuals' rights and gather evidence effectively.
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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.
