The media circle of the Lebanese Forces Party expressed "deep regret" over the recent report from Human Rights Watch regarding the deliberate and insincere conflation of highlighting the deportation of Syrian refugee activists in the opposition, which leads to their persecution and detention, with the assertion that 99% of refugees are not classified as activists.
The statement added: "It is evident that the focus on this aspect aims to generalize and claim that all refugees are activists, and that their deportation leads to their persecution and torture. This reality is completely incorrect, despite the fact that regime opponents can return to Syrian areas not under regime control. It is well-known that actual activists left Lebanon long ago due to the power of the opposition and their direct or indirect pursuit. If there are individuals among the activists, their numbers do not exceed dozens, while the overwhelming majority of Syrian refugees do not fit this classification.
It is regrettable that Human Rights Watch and other organizations resort to obfuscation and deception with the aim of keeping Syrian refugees in Lebanon, a situation unprecedented in any country in the world, where the number of refugees in a state reaches half of its original population. Furthermore, this country, Lebanon, is suffering from a major financial collapse, political instability, and unrest on multiple levels."
The statement concluded: "If Human Rights Watch is genuinely concerned about the refugees, they should either seek to deport them to other countries or return them to Syria to areas under both the regime and opposition, and request international organizations to secure their financial entitlements in these countries. Meanwhile, the situation in Lebanon no longer allows for their continued presence."
