belongings or passports. By October, the international airport. Following mounting International Organization for Migration said pressure to stop the men’s forcible that about 400,000 mostly Asian and African deportation, the GS released them in migrant and domestic workers living in October. The men had fled ongoing hostilities Lebanon were stranded without work or the in Daraa governorate in southern Syria. means to return home. DEATH PENALTY In its UPR, Lebanon failed to commit to abolishing kafala and refused the Courts continued to hand down death recommendation to sign and ratify the sentences; no executions were carried out. In International Convention on the Protection of the UPR process, Lebanon rejected the Rights of All Migrant Workers and recommendations to abolish the death Members of Their Families. penalty. REFUGEES’ RIGHTS 1. “Lebanon: Authorities violating right to health and endangering lives Lebanon continued to host the largest by failing to provide fuel to hospitals”, 6 September number of refugees per capita globally, with 2. “Lebanon: One year on from devastating Beirut explosion, authorities an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, shamelessly obstruct justice”, 2 August including 879,529 registered with UNHCR as 3. “Lebanon: UN Human Rights Council must establish probe into Beirut of September. blast”, 15 June In March, Amnesty International released a 4. “Lebanon: Authorities step up repression through use of terrorism report documenting an array of violations charges against protesters”, 8 March committed primarily by Lebanese military 5. Lebanon: Open Letter to Human Rights Committee of the Lebanese intelligence against 26 Syrian refugees, Parliament Regarding Violations of Rights During Protests in Tripoli including four children, held on terrorism- in January 2021 (Index: MDE 18/3733/2021), 22 February related charges between 2014 and early 6. “Lebanon: Parliament police take part in vicious attack on families of 2021. Among the violations were unfair trial Beirut blast victims and journalists”, 12 August and torture, which included beatings with 7. Lebanon: “I Wished I Would Die” – Syrian Refugees Arbitrarily metal sticks, electric cables and plastic Detained on Terrorism-Related Charges and Tortured in Lebanon (Index: MDE 18/3671/2021), 23 March pipes. Authorities failed to investigate the 8. “Lebanon: General Security must halt imminent deportation of six torture claims, even when detainees or their Syrians”, 8 September lawyers told a judge in court that they had been tortured.7 Lebanon continued to forcibly deport LESOTHO refugees back to Syria, despite the risks of egregious violations upon return. On 28 Kingdom of Lesotho August, army intelligence officers arrested six Head of state: Letsie III Syrian men outside the Syrian embassy in Head of government: Moeketsi Majoro Baabda District after the men had received calls from the embassy inviting them to No one was brought to justice for the collect their passports. The men were murder of Lipolelo Thabane and the accused of entering the country illegally and attempted murder of Thato Sebolla in handed over to the GS, which issued a 2017. The Appeal Court awarded damages deportation order on 5 September. The six to a man who had been tortured by the men were held incommunicado for 46 days. police in 2015. The Covid-19 pandemic led Following pressure for their release, the GS to an increase in gender-based violence. It cancelled the deportation order on 8 had a devastating effect on the healthcare September and released all the men on 12 system and led to greater economic 8 October. hardship for many. In another incident in September, the GS detained three Syrian men at Beirut Amnesty International Report 2021/22 232