The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Relatives of prison inmates staged a sit-in Wednesday morning near the Parliament in Downtown Beirut, calling for the issuance of a general pardon for all detainees, as a lack of quorum derailed a legislative session.
Khodr Daher, the head of the Victims’ Committee, which organized the sit-in, said members of his organization had been meeting with ministers and MPs and were promised that “a general pardon would be passed for Lebanese detainees if there is a quorum in today’s session.”
Wednesday’s Parliament session was postponed as only 55 MPs out of 128 turned up, well short of the 65 MPs needed to pass laws.
“Whether or not there is a session, we’re starting an open sit-in that will last until a general pardon is issued,” said Daher, who condemned politicians’ “false promises.”
“We tell them, ‘Don’t turn Riad Solh into Tunisia,’” he added, referring to Riad Solh Square, where the sit-in was taking place, and the first Arab regime to fall victim to mass protests during the Arab Spring.
“To all March 14 MPs, whom we know are planning to disturb today’s session for their own reasons, we say that today’s session is legitimate, whether you like it or not” said member of the Victims’ Committee Ali Amhaz, addressing the media.
“We’re participating in this sit-in to demand a general amnesty for our children suffering inside [the prisons],” said Souad Mutadar, 40.
“Our children are dying inside … He’s my only child and he’s in prison,” she said.
Mutadar, whose son is being detained for sexual harassment – a charge she denies – blamed the government for not taking action.
“The government is not doing anything; and the court is not ordering his release,” she said.
Overcrowding and other problems at the central Roumieh prison turned violent in April during several days of prison riots. Politicians promised to redress the grievances of inmates.
Nineteen-year-old Mohammad Hujairi said he decided to participate in the sit-in because his cousin, who has been in prison for a year and a half, still hasn’t been sentenced.
“I want him to get a trial,” he said, adding his cousin was sick and wasn’t being treated.
“Our children still didn’t receive a trial, that’s the problem,” said a protester who preferred not to be identified. She said all prisoners were treated the same, whether they “killed someone or committed minor offenses,” adding that her son had been jailed for eight months.
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