Lebanese amnesty law suspended sparks hunger strike and unrest at Roumieh prison
After the Constitutional Council halted the amnesty bill, inmates at Roumieh prison began a hunger strike, with dozens reported in critical condition.
Lebanon's parliament passed a general amnesty bill in August, intended to ease prison overcrowding, but the Free Patriotic Movement appealed to the Constitutional Council, which suspended the law pending a verdict. The suspension has triggered a hunger and medication strike at Roumieh prison, where officials estimate over 400 inmates are refusing sustenance and more than 40 are in critical condition. The protest is centered in Building B, which houses many Sunni Islamist detainees, including Ahmed Al Assir.
Families of prisoners warn that the humanitarian situation has escalated into a crisis, while street sit-ins have been organized in Tripoli. The controversy highlights deep political divisions over releasing individuals convicted of serious crimes, including attacks on the Lebanese Army. The council's ruling is expected in the coming weeks, leaving the prison population of roughly 8,500 inmates in limbo.
Why it matters
The stalled amnesty law fuels prison unrest and highlights Lebanon's political deadlock over security and human rights.
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