European aid sent to Lebanon to regulate migration by sea is under scrutiny for funding practices that violate human rights, as per a report by a global watchdog released on Wednesday. The report highlights instances where Syrian refugees attempting to leave Lebanon have faced human rights violations at the hands of Lebanese and Cypriot authorities.
Lebanon, grappling with a severe financial crisis since 2019, hosts a significant refugee population, with around 775,000 registered Syrian refugees and many more unregistered, making it the country with the highest refugee population per capita globally.
Lebanese officials have urged Western nations to assist in resettling or repatriating the refugees to Syria. Lebanon has received substantial funding from the European Union and European countries for border control as part of an agreement with Cyprus to curb migrant smuggling.
The report reveals that some Syrian refugees caught by the Lebanese army trying to reach Cyprus by sea were forcibly taken to the Lebanon-Syria border and left on the Syrian side, where some were detained by the Syrian army or extorted by smugglers for passage back to Lebanon.
Cyprus, on the other hand, suspended processing Syrian asylum applications in April and has been accused of forcibly turning back boats carrying asylum seekers from Lebanon. Cypriot authorities allegedly prevented asylum seekers from landing, detained them, and then returned them to Lebanon, where some were subsequently deported to Syria.
Both Lebanese and Cypriot authorities have been accused of using excessive force during arrests and detentions. The European Union and European countries have provided significant financial aid to Lebanon for border management, with additional funding allocated to continue enhancing border management projects in Lebanon through 2025.
Cyprus' Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection denied carrying out pushbacks, citing the country's challenges in managing massive migrant flows. Lebanon's General Security agency stated that deportations coordinated by them adhered to international human rights law standards.
The European Commission emphasized the need for national authorities to investigate any allegations of rights violations and prosecute wrongdoing. The situation underscores the complex challenges faced by countries dealing with migration flows and the importance of upholding human rights standards in such contexts.
