Amnesty Calls for 'Transparent' Probe into Death of Sidon Clashes Detainee

Amnesty International has urged Lebanese authorities to conduct a full investigation into the death in custody of a suspect detained following the gunbattles between the army and Salafists in the southern city of Sidon more than two weeks ago.

The organization said it saw images of 35-year-old Nader al-Bayoumi’s body, which showed signs of "horrific abuse."

“The obscurity surrounding al-Bayoumi’s death, whose body was handed over three days after his arrest, is unacceptable. An immediate, independent and transparent investigation into his case is crucial,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Program Director.

Military Examining Magistrate Judge Fadi Sawan issued arrest warrants on Monday against an army officer and four soldiers in the case of al-Bayoumi's death.

Al-Bayoumi, a Palestinian, was detained during the deadly clashes between the army and the supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in Abra, a suburb of Sidon.

Amnesty said it has also collected testimonies of at least three detainees who described being tortured by the Lebanese army and intelligence. One of them is a 15-year-old boy who claimed he suffered electrocution and was beaten before being forced into signing a false confession.

“The reports of torture are highly disturbing; all detainees must be protected and granted access to a lawyer and any necessary medical care,” Philip Luther said.

Two other men, aged 22 and 23, were arrested at army checkpoints before being abused in custody, said Amnesty International.

One of them told the NGO how he was beaten by soldiers and had a cigarette stubbed out on his lower back, before an officer stamped on his face. Later his head was also squeezed between a wall and metal cupboard.

The two suspects were later forced to sign statements which they had not been allowed to read, Amnesty said.

None of the detainees was brought before a court, granted adequate legal representation or allowed to contact their family. All three were subsequently released, it added.