Roumieh Prison Strike Continues... Fourth Death in One Month
The humanitarian crisis in Lebanese prisons is worsening after the fourth death was recorded in just one month, as protests expand and the nationwide strike at Roumieh Central Prison enters its third day over the suspension of the General Amnesty Law.
The Prisoners’ Families Committee announced the death of Lebanese inmate Nehmeh El Hajj, from Ain Saadeh, inside Halba Prison in northern Lebanon, following a severe deterioration in his health. The committee said El Hajj developed kidney failure during his detention and eventually became bedridden, amid serious difficulties in obtaining the necessary treatment and medication, as healthcare and living conditions for inmates with chronic illnesses continue to deteriorate.
According to the committee, inmates at Halba Prison said El Hajj had been awaiting inclusion under the General Amnesty Law so he could receive medical care outside prison or spend his final days with his family. However, implementation of the law was halted following an appeal against its provisions filed by MP Gebran Bassil.
In this regard, lawyer and human rights advocate Mohammad Sablouh said in a Facebook post that “the prisoner died after suffering from illness, while prisons continue to await the end of the ‘Bassil appeal’ period amid the ongoing health crisis among inmates.”
