ISF Detain 19 Egyptian Workers Demonstrating against ‘Sponsorship System’
Internal Security forces detained 19 Egyptian workers on Saturday who joined a protest outside the Egyptian embassy in Beirut.
According to the National News Agency, Egyptian workers held a sit-in near the Labor ministry in Shiyah demanding the end of the “sponsorship system” for foreign laborers in Lebanon.
Protesters then headed to the Egyptian embassy and tried to cross barbed wire set by the ISF and began stone-throwing the embassy and security forces, which prompted the ISF to arrest 19 demonstrators.
The “sponsorship system” demands foreign laborers to work for specific employer in order to have a residency permit.
The NNA reported that 10 ISF members were injured including 4 who were transferred to the hospital after sustaining serious injuries, in addition to 2 Egyptian workers.
The protesters want greater freedom to work in Lebanon, which is a destination for thousands of Egyptians looking for jobs.
Currently, Egyptians need a guarantee of employment before they can get a work permit. They can't change jobs without approval from their employers.
The protesters want to be treated like Syrian workers who face fewer restrictions working in Lebanon.
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