The Syrian Future Movement is closely following developments concerning the cases of Syrian citizens convicted and detained in Lebanese prisons.
In this context, we welcome the Lebanese Cabinet’s decision of January 30, 2026, approving an agreement to transfer approximately 260 Syrian convicts from Lebanese prisons to Syria, contingent upon the prisoner’s consent to the transfer, with implementation scheduled to begin next February.
The Syrian Future Movement believes this decision comes within a complex context, encompassing both security and humanitarian challenges facing the two sister nations, Lebanon and Syria. The agreement includes convicts who committed various crimes, including murder, some of whom have served lengthy periods of detention, up to ten years.
This agreement stands out as a step towards strengthening security coordination between the two countries, at a time when Lebanon is suffering from severe overcrowding in its prisons – with approximately 2,600 Syrian detainees, over 80% of whom have not yet had their cases brought before the courts – leading to prolonged pretrial detention and potential human rights violations.
The Syrian Future Movement bases its position on its fundamental principles, published on its official website, which focus on building the future of Syria through a national reconciliation document that guarantees civil peace, reconstruction, and adherence to international human rights standards. It also draws on its previous statement issued on January 27, 2026, entitled “Respect for the Human and Legal Rights of Syrian Detainees in Lebanese Prisons,” which addressed the issue of respect for the human and legal rights of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons. In that statement, the Movement expressed grave concern regarding the inhumane conditions at Roumieh Central Prison, including the open-ended hunger strike initiated by a group of Syrian and Lebanese detainees in protest against deliberate medical neglect, severe overcrowding, and chronic delays in legal proceedings. We emphasize that this strike, which we described as a desperate reaction to a “policy of slow death,” reflects potential violations of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), the right to life and human dignity, and the right to a fair and speedy trial under Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
In light of this, the Syrian Future Movement supports the transfer agreement, provided it is a step towards achieving justice and dignity for Syrian citizens and guarantees their treatment during the transfer process in accordance with international standards.
We believe that transferring these convicts to their homeland could represent an opportunity for rehabilitation and social reintegration in a new Syria, especially after the fall of the Assad regime and the commencement of the transitional reform process.
However, the Syrian Future Movement warns of potential risks if the agreement is not implemented with complete transparency. The history of detentions in Lebanon is closely linked to the Syrian revolution, as many Syrians were arrested for participating in protests, for alleged involvement with opposition groups, or even for expressing opinions on social media. These arrests were often followed by trials before the military court, which was widely considered an instrument of repression during Hezbollah’s intervention in Syria.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the necessity of considering the following aspects to ensure the success of this agreement and its compatibility with human rights principles:
- Ensuring the free and informed consent of prisoners to transfers that are entirely voluntary, providing full information about conditions in Syrian prisons, and allowing access to independent lawyers or human rights organizations to monitor the process.
- Syria’s commitment to reforming its prison system to transform it from an instrument of repression, as it was under the former regime, into rehabilitative institutions that respect human dignity.
- This includes implementing the Nelson Mandela Rules, providing healthcare and rehabilitation programs, separating prisoners according to their crimes and legal status, and prohibiting torture and prolonged solitary confinement.
- International monitoring and transparency through the participation of international organizations such as the United Nations (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) and the Committee Against Torture in monitoring the transfer process and subsequent detention in Syria. We also demand independent investigations into any previous complaints of deaths or abuses in Lebanese prisons, such as those that occurred in the cases of Mahmoud al-Hakim and Hamza Balbisi in December 2025.
We call for strengthening constructive regional cooperation, as we see this agreement as an opportunity to enhance relations between Syria and Lebanon based on mutual respect and shared interests, with a focus on resolving the remaining humanitarian issues from the era of conflict. This will contribute to regional stability and prevent a recurrence of the violations witnessed in the region.
The Syrian Future Movement reiterates its full solidarity with Syrian citizens in Lebanese prisons, considering their cause a just humanitarian issue that requires immediate intervention.
It affirms that building the future of Syria depends on transitional justice, which includes compensating victims, holding those responsible for past violations accountable, and rebuilding trust between the people and the state.
We call on the Syrian and Lebanese governments to engage in transparent dialogue with local and international human rights organizations and to involve civil society in implementing the agreement, to ensure that it is a step towards peace and dignity, not merely an administrative procedure.
In conclusion, the Syrian Future Movement believes that the future we build together must be founded on justice and comprehensive development that restores Syria’s standing and fulfills the aspirations of its people. We will continue to closely monitor this issue and call on all parties to adhere to international human rights standards, as Syrians today deserve a dignified life after decades of injustice.
