Syrian Detainees’ Hunger Strike and Struggle for Justice in Roumieh Prison

Dozens of Syrian detainees at the notorious Roumieh Central Prison, east of Beirut, continue their hunger strike in a bid to secure their transfer to the new Syrian government.

Since February 11, 2025, 120 Syrian prisoners have been on a hunger strike, having lost hope in any official efforts to end their suffering following the fall of Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8, 2024.

Syrian prisoners in Roumieh

The number of Syrian detainees in Roumieh Prison is estimated at around 2,200, with charges ranging from involvement in the Syrian uprising to issues related to seeking refuge in Lebanon.

These individuals were arrested in Lebanon due to their participation in the Syrian uprising, with the influence of al-Assad regime at the time facilitating their imprisonment in Roumieh.

The detainees continue to face severe violations by the Lebanese security forces, compounded by neglect in medical, living, and psychological care, as well as the spread of chronic illnesses.

Many of these prisoners have been incarcerated for over a decade, despite numerous human rights appeals for their release following the fall of Bashar al-Assad regime.

The hunger strike aims to expedite a formal decision for their transfer to Syria.

Five detainees have been transferred to Lebanese hospitals since the hunger strike began.

Some detainees have been sentenced to death (though not yet executed), with their families accusing the Lebanese authorities of fabricating charges to justify such harsh sentences.

In recent years, a number of lawyers have been working to monitor the cases of these prisoners and reduce their sentences.

Roumieh Prison, Lebanon’s largest, was built in the 1960s and opened in 1970. With a capacity of 5,500 inmates, local media reports that it is currently experiencing unprecedented overcrowding.

Prisoners are spread across five buildings: the convicts' block, the juvenile block (which includes the "W" disciplinary wing), and buildings "D," "B," and the newly constructed "C" block.

A tragic situation

A spokesperson for the Syrian detainees at Roumieh Prison told Saudi Arabia’s al Arabiya al Hadath channel in a phone interview on February 19, 2025, that after "the Lebanese government's agreement with the Syrian leadership following al-Assad’s fall to repatriate all Syrian prisoners, we were hopeful about returning."

"No committee has been formed to follow up on the prisoners' case, despite sending a message to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa."

"The Lebanese side is waiting for Syria to establish a coordination and communication office, which was dissolved after the fall of Bashar al-Assad regime," the spokesperson added.

He described the situation in the prison as "tragic," explaining that "every day feels like a year, especially since many of the detainees are former fighters from the Syrian revolution."

Many of these prisoners were armed rebels who fought against al-Assad regime before being arrested after fleeing to Lebanon following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

The detainees suffer from prolonged detention without trial, with some held for over 11 years without facing a court hearing.

Additionally, some individuals were sentenced to four years in prison but remain incarcerated in Roumieh without any legal justification.

Lebanon’s judicial system has faced a vacuum, exacerbated by the presidential vacancy that plagued the country from October 2022 to January 2025, hampering fair trials for Roumieh’s prisoners.

Human rights advocates who have visited Roumieh described it as a "miniature version" of Syria’s infamous Sednaya Prison, which Amnesty International has dubbed a "human slaughterhouse," where thousands of Syrian detainees were tortured to death under the ousted al-Assad regime.

The Syrian National Committee for the Defense of Detainees released a report in November 2020 on the conditions of Syrian prisoners in Roumieh, based on direct interviews with 59 detainees and 37 witnesses and victims.

The report concluded that the majority of Syrians had been subjected to mass arbitrary arrests, torture, ill-treatment, and even execution.

 It also found that the detainees had undergone unfair trials, with many handed over to al-Assad regime.

The Lebanese authorities refer Syrian detainees to military courts on charges of terrorism, despite no evidence of involvement in such activities or affiliation with any listed terrorist organizations.

In a manufactured propaganda narrative, Syrian prisoners are labeled "Islamic detainees" solely because they belong to the Sunni sect, as viewed by the detention authorities, according to the report.

Legal Obstacles

In a report published in March 2021, Amnesty International accused Lebanese security forces of committing violations against Syrian refugees arrested over the past years on "terrorism" charges, including the use of "horrific torture methods."

The report emphasized the detainees' denial of a "fair trial," noting that "in many cases, judges heavily relied on confessions extracted under torture."

In this context, Lebanese lawyer Mohammad Sablouh told Al-Estiklal that "the continued detention of Syrian prisoners by Lebanese authorities is unjustifiable, especially after the fall of Bashar al-Assad regime."

"Before al-Assad’s fall, the Lebanese authorities were exploiting the refugee issue and often threatened to hand over these prisoners in Roumieh to al-Assad regime, despite Beirut’s inability to do so without legal agreements and procedures."

"Back then, the Lebanese authorities were blackmailing the international community for money, but now, with al-Assad regime gone, why can’t Beirut find a way to release them? Despite Lebanon’s complaints about housing them."

"There is no serious approach from Lebanese authorities regarding the prisoners in Roumieh. 82% of them have not been tried due to the shortcomings of the Lebanese judiciary."

"Laws have been proposed to address the cases of Syrian prisoners in Roumieh to the new government under Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, as well as amendments to agreements between Syria and Lebanon to allow their release," Sablouh added. 

During former Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s visit to Damascus on January 11, 2025, where he met with transitional Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, it was announced in a statement from the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that an agreement had been reached for the repatriation of all Syrian prisoners from Lebanon.

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the agreement between Sharaa and Mikati included the transfer of 1,750 detainees in Lebanon to Syria.

Sablouh hinted that "around 29 Syrian prisoners in Roumieh have died due to medical neglect, including one who suffered from heart disease for three months before dying in prison."

"Today, Lebanon is facing a test regarding the Roumieh prisoners’ issue, following the formation of the Nawaf Salam government. The prisoners must be released without delay, in line with the promises made to President Ahmed al-Sharaa to resolve this issue."

"Transitional justice must be applied in Lebanon for these Syrian prisoners, and the wrongs committed against them must be acknowledged as soon as possible," Sablouh continued. 

In a previous interview with An-Nahar in 2023, caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said that Syrian detainees were a significant burden on Lebanon’s infrastructure due to their needs for food, fuel, medical care, and other necessities.

The minister noted that there were 2,297 Syrian prisoners in Lebanese jails, with 329 sentenced and 1,968 awaiting trial, and mentioned that there had been no official Syrian request for their transfer.

What Lebanon suffers most from is the arrest of individuals without judicial oversight. Security forces issue warrants against individuals without informing the judiciary, leaving detainees in prison indefinitely.

Human rights advocates point to this as evidence of a "deep security state" in Lebanon that controls security and judicial decisions, alongside the disruption of the judicial inspection institution.