Click to expand Image Candidates for Lebanon’s parliamentary elections should commit to human rights reforms.

(Beirut) – Twenty-eight candidates and some parties running in Lebanon ’s parliamentary elections on May 6, 2018, have made public commitments to strengthen human rights protections. But none of the parties in the current cabinet were willing to make public commitments in response to a Human Rights Watch letter urging them to commit to human rights reforms on 10 issues.

Kelna Beirut, The new independent parties Libaladi You Stink , and individual candidates committed to all of the proposed reforms. The Kataeb party, which is not in the cabinet, committed to the reforms except those related to refugee rights.

“It is deeply disappointing that none of the parties in Lebanon’s current government saw fit to make strong commitments to human rights,” said Lama Fakih , deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Candidates should commit to take tangible steps to strengthen human rights in Lebanon if elected.”

The areas Human Rights Watch identified are: women’s rights, torture, the waste crisis, freedom of expression and assembly, military court trials of civilians, disability rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, refugee rights, justice and accountability, and privacy.

Lebanon’s last parliamentary elections took place in June 2009. After three extensions of their term, members of parliament have more than doubled the time they were elected to serve , dashing the hopes of citizens who had been waiting to elect their representatives since 2013. Because Lebanon’s voting age is 21, some people close to 30 have never had a chance to elect their parliamentary representatives.

“After a nine-year term, parliament has made no headway on several key human rights issues,” Fakih said. “Lebanese citizens should know that candidates are committed to fighting for their rights.”

Candidates who made commitments to reforms on all 10 issues:

Levon Telvizian

Laury Haytayan

Yorgui Teyrouz

Joumana Haddad

Lucien Bourjeily

Gilbert Doumit

Paula Yaacoubian

Ziad Baroud

Alina Dakessian

Nouhad Yazbeck Doumit

Naji Kodeih

Nadine Itani

Fatime Mouchref Hmasni

Hassan Sinno

Zina Majdalani

Marwan Al Tibi

Nadine Moussa

Josephine Zgheib

Layal Bou Moussa

Rima Hmayed

Yahya Mawloud

Ghada Eid

Fadi Abou Jamra

Candidates who made commitments to reforms on some issues:



Lina Hamdan,

Fifi Kallab, made commitments on all issues except refugees and privacy.

Riad Ghazali, made commitments on all issues except refugees. Ahmad al-Ass‘ad, made commitments on all issues expect for the kafala system.Lina Hamdan, made commitments on free speech, waste crisis, refugee rights, torture, privacy, disability rights, justice and accountability, and women’s rights.Fifi Kallab, made commitments on all issues except refugees and privacy.Riad Ghazali, made commitments on all issues except refugees.



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