Lebanese and islamist prisoners’ destiny reemerges amid Syria reopening

During his visit to Tripoli, Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities Ahmad al-Hajjar affirmed the state’s responsibility for the Lebanese prisoners (the so-called “Islamist prisoners”) and the current government’s commitment to resolving this issue. This proves significant government resolve to effectively address the matter after past neglect.

Hajjar’s comments came as Lebanon is negotiating with the new interim government in Damascus the case of the Syrian prisoners held in Lebanese jails. It coincided with the unprecedented visit of a Syrian judicial delegation to Beirut. Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri and Justice Minister Adel Nassar met in Beirut with Syria’s Justice Minister Mazhar al-Weisi, who has made two visits to Lebanon in less than a week, an unusual diplomatic tempo that underscores both countries’ desire to close the long-stalled detainee file. Lebanese officials described “significant progress” toward an accord that would allow for the transfer or trial of detainees, many of whom were arrested in Lebanon during the years of the Syrian conflict. Yet, the deal remains delicate: it excludes those accused of fighting the Lebanese Army and comes amid broader talks on judicial coordination, the fate of the disappeared, and cross-border fugitives. As the Syrian delegation toured Roumieh Prison this week, meeting with Syrian inmates, both sides spoke of “respect for sovereignty and human dignity.”

The two files (the Lebanese and Islamist prisoners file as well as the Syrian prisoners file) are believed to be correlated as many claim that they are both politically motivated (given the prisoners’ anti-Hezbollah and anti-Assad rhetoric). Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam even affirmed to a delegation from the “Follow-up Committee on General Amnesty” his government’s commitment to address the issue of Lebanese prisoners, and that any progress regarding Syrian prisoners would be accompanied by similar progress on the Lebanese side.

Currently, aside from the Lebanese Cabinet’s determination to solve the judicial issue, regional actors have also reportedly exerted notable pressure. Some view the case of Fadel Shaker in the same lense, while simultaneously acknowledging previous Hezbollah and Assad-allied influence in the alleged arbitrary arrests undertook against mostly Sunni Islamist detainees, some without being offered even a legal trial.

According to informed sources, the Lebanese and Islamist prisoners file will most likely be closed prior to the upcoming general elections. This determination stems from the government’s will to prevent any sectarian and confessional polarization ahead of an already tense electoral atmosphere (considering the issue of Hezbollah’s arms and the expatriate’s voting mechanism). Suggested solutions for this critical file includes the release of those who are not convicted or accused of participating in the killing of army personnel (but rather arrested on suspicion, or based on well-known fabrications), while addressing the cases of those who have received sentences through several proposed legislative projects.