Amchit Highway Blocked in Protest at Arrests over Alleged Abuse of Refugees

Residents from the town of Amchit blocked the vital highway that links Mt. Lebanon to the North on Thursday to protest the arrest of five municipal policemen accused of mistreating a number of Syrian refugees.

The policemen were detained at the orders of Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq after they reportedly appeared in pictures that went viral on social media.

The pictures show a number of Syrian refugees kneeling on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs, surrounded by several guards belonging to the Amchit Municipality.

The footage prompted activists to ask whether municipal police has the jurisdiction to make arrests, accusing the Amchit Municipality of xenophobia and human rights violations.

The uproar pushed Mashnouq to order an investigation into the matter during which the five policemen where summoned for interrogation. The minister also called on the Amchit Municipality to “stop any violations in this regard end any abuse of power by the municipal guards.”

The country has been on high alert since the unprecedented suicide bombings that hit the Christian border town of al-Qaa in late June.

Scores of people have been arrested in a major crackdown on Syrian refugee encampments and gatherings that followed the attacks.

Al-Qaa's blasts occurred after the arrest of several Islamic State-linked cells plotting bombings in the country and amid a flurry of media reports about possible attacks during the holy month of Ramadan.