Human Rights Watch Slams Curfews on Syrians in Lebanon
Lebanese towns and villages are increasingly imposing curfews on Syrian refugees in the country and restricting their movements, an international human rights group said Friday.
Human Rights Watch said the curfews "contribute to a climate of discriminatory and retaliatory practices against them."
The New York-based group said in a statement that it has identified at least 45 towns and villages across Lebanon that have imposed such curfews.
"The authorities have presented no evidence that curfews for Syrian refugees are necessary for public order or security in Lebanon," said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.
"These curfews are just contributing to an increasingly hostile environment for Syrian refugees in the country," he said.
Attacks against Syrians, as well as curfews, have intensified since Aug. 2, when Islamist militants crossed into Lebanon and engaged several days of deadly clashes with the Lebanese army. The gunmen captured around 35 soldiers and police officers and have executed three of them, fueling anger in Lebanon.
Syrian activists have reported increasing tensions with Lebanese residents in the wake of the violence in Arsal, and the kidnappings and executions.
There are more than 1.1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, which has a population of just four million citizens and has kept the border open to those fleeing the conflict in its neighbor.
Source: Agence France Presse, Associated Press
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