CLDH expresses serious concern and stresses the urgent need for an independent and impartial investigation into the killing of Mohammad Harkous while in the custody of a military agency of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
On 6 January, Mohammad was reportedly stopped while working and delivering packages from Syria to Lebanon and taken away in a white van. Accounts of what followed differ. Some sources claim he was initially detained by a partisan authority, and later handed over to Military Intelligence, while others state that the van belonged to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Contradictory narratives continue to circulate, alongside growing allegations that Mohammad was subjected to torture prior to his death. Photographs of his body have spread online, further raising public concern. Medical reports are also inconsistent: one concludes that he died of a stroke, while another documents visible injuries and a skull fracture, indicating that he was tortured and fatally struck on the head, causing internal bleeding.
In light of these serious and conflicting accounts, CLDH underscores the critical importance of conducting a prompt, independent, and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mohammad Harkous’s death and the allegations of torture, under the direct authority of the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation. It is essential that the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation appoint an independent judicial body from the ordinary judiciary to conduct this investigation, so as to guarantee impartiality, independence, and full compliance with fair trial standards. Such an investigation is essential to establish the truth, ensure accountability, and secure justice for the victim and his family.
More importantly, it is also necessary to reaffirm the rule of law in Lebanon and demonstrate zero tolerance for torture and ill-treatment, in line with Law No. 65 on the criminalization of torture and Lebanon’s obligations under the Convention against Torture.
