Prisoners’ Families Storm Grand Serail Courtyard, Give 6-Day Ultimatum

Scores of relatives of prisoners asking for general amnesty stormed the Grand Serail’s outside courtyard on Monday to protest the government’s failure to reduce prison sentences of inmates in jails across the country .

MP Ghassan Mkhaiber told Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) that the families of prisoners stormed the courtyard before the formation of a delegation that was set to meet with Premier Najib Miqati.

After the attack, the Grand Serail’s guards rushed to close all gates and asked accredited journalists to stay foot until the problem is resolved, VDL said.

But later, a delegation of elders held talks with Miqati to ask him for general amnesty and reduce the prison year from 12 to nine months.

Sources told MTV that Miqati informed them that the general amnesty is a legal dilemma that can’t be easily resolved.

The families gave Lebanese officials six days to meet their demands.

Earlier this month, they staged nationwide protests against the government’s failure to reduce prison sentences.

Several inmates at Roumieh prison have also staged a hunger strike to pressure the parliament into drafting a law aimed at reducing the prison year.

Lebanon’s prisons are overcrowded and have poor living conditions.