About This Report
Syria/Lebanon: An Alliance Beyond the Law
May 11, 1997

Syria/Lebanon: An Alliance Beyond the Law

Enforced Disappearances in Lebanon

Summary
Recommendations
To the Government of Syria
To the Government of Lebanon
To the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
To the European Union and Member States
To the Clinton Administration
Introduction
The Methodology of Enforced Disappearances in Lebanon
Apprehension and Irregular Arrest by State Agents
Gabi 'Aql Karam: "Disappeared" in January 1997
Magi 'Aql Karam: "Disappeared" in March 1997
Bashir al-Khatib: "Disappeared" in July 1996
Unacknowledged Detention
Abdallah Diab Hussein al-Razayneh: "Disappeared" in 1984
Rushdi Rashed Hamdan Shehab: "Disappeared" in 1987
Boutros Khawand: "Disappeared" in 1992
Derar al-Karmi: "Disappeared" in January 1997
Torture in Syrian Custody
Coercion to Collaborate with Syrian Intelligence in Lebanon
The Failure of the Lebanese Government to Act
Consequences of the Lack of Legal Remedies in Lebanon
The Price of Fear
International Human Rights Standards
Responsibilities of the Syrian Government
Responsibilities of the Lebanese Government
For Families and Friends of the "Disappeared": What you can do
Human Rights Watch/Middle East
Appendix A: Excerpt of Human Rights Watch Statement to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights
Appendix B: Legal Complaint about the Abduction and Unlawful Detention of Gabi 'Aql Karam   
Appendix C: Legal Complaint about the Unlawful Detention of Magi 'Aql Karam..

About this Report

This report was written by Virginia N. Sherry, associate director of Human Rights Watch/Middle East.  It is based on information that Ms. Sherry obtained during fact-finding missions to Lebanon from August 8-September 4, 1995, and from July 25-August 22, 1996, as well as subsequent research. The report also includes information collected by Houeida Saad, an attorney and consultant to Human Rights Watch, who conducted a fact-finding mission in Lebanon from October 31-November 16, 1996. The report was edited by Eric Goldstein, acting executive director of Human Rights Watch/Middle East, and Michael McClintock, deputy program director of Human Rights Watch.  Awali Samara, associate at Human Rights Watch/Middle East, skillfully prepared this report and its appendices for publication.

The author dedicates this report to the "disappeared" who are still alive in Syria and to the families who continue to wait for Syrian government confirmation of their whereabouts. The author also wishes to thank the Lebanese and Palestinians without whose cooperation this report would have been impossible to write. For reasons related to their own security and safety, most of these sources asked to remain anonymous.

With generous support from the J.M. Kaplan Fund, this report will be translated into Arabic.