The General Directorate of State Security's Media, Guidance, and Public Relations Department announced today, Friday, that "some media outlets have shared news regarding the request from the Public Prosecutor to transfer prisoners from the General Directorate of State Security's detention facilities to those of the General Directorate of Internal Security Forces. Fabricated stories and fictional scenarios have been woven around this request, which bear no relation to the truth and reality, and the aim is merely to perpetuate a narrative of doubt and accusation that some malicious actors have consistently directed against the Directorate."
The statement clarified the following points:
1. Every detainee held by the Directorate has their detention dictated by a judicial order that specifies the detention facility.
2. The Directorate has previously requested, over six months ago, through written correspondence, the transfer of prisoners in its facilities to those of the Internal Security Forces due to limited capacity.
3. Coordination has been ongoing for a long time between the General Directorate of State Security and the General Directorate of Internal Security Forces to transfer detainees to the latter's facilities and prisons, according to their absorption capacity, especially since their detention centers are twice the allowed number for holding detainees, with more than forty percent being non-Lebanese and with no capacity to accommodate further.
4. The Directorate believes that the best solution is for media outlets, based on the principles of national solidarity and cooperation, to approach this issue from a humanitarian perspective and to pressure responsible parties, including international organizations, to expedite the establishment of new detention centers and prisons that meet all necessary humanitarian and legal standards, acknowledging the high cost of such establishments and the current capabilities of the Lebanese state.
The statement concluded: "In the interest of the highest standards of transparency and cooperation for the public good, the General Directorate of State Security is fully prepared to answer any inquiries or clarifications when ambiguity arises, so as to contribute to achieving this interest and to avoid falling into misconceptions and misinformation."
