[UPDATE]: On February 20th, the authorities confirmed that Sami will be banned from coming back to Lebanon for 3 years.

On Saturday 21st of January 2023, our colleague, ally, and friend Samuel (Sami) Tesfaye was arrested in Beirut Rafic Hariri airport, on his way back from Ethiopia for a family visit. The arrest is under the premise that Sami violated the arbitrary conditions of his residency, imposed on him, and countless migrants, by the Kafala system. 

Sami’s arrest shakes and shocks us. He is one of the pillars of the Ethiopian and Migrant communities in Lebanon, as well as ARM and MCC’s. This fills us with anger, because it is unfortunately a predictable shock. One that we understand too well, and more than anyone, Sami, who spent the last 13 years of his life in Lebanon. During which he became known for his exemplary rise to the occasion every time people in distress approached him for emotional support or guidance.

While Sami committed no crime, the Lebanese state is actively criminalizing and punishing him. We have lost so much of our community over the years due to this dehumanizing system that deems Migrants in Lebanon to be dangerous and dispensable. Today, the authorities decided for Sami to join this painfully long list by forcing his deportation. ARM tried to intervene, appeal Sami’s deportation order, and attempted to “regularize” his residency in Lebanon. But we were not allowed to. We will try again when Sami is in Ethiopia, which is our last legal avenue to pursue. However, It does not stop here; the Lebanese authorities are banning Sami from re-entering the country, for up to 5 years. Sami leaves tomorrow night. 

Words are not enough to describe Sami’s caring and supportive heart to help migrant workers, and try to solve some of their problems in a country where basics became a struggle to get.

Sami’s deportation is unjustifiable, even if, and especially if, Kafala says otherwise. 

Join us in asking for Sami’s right to continue his residency, and life, in Lebanon. You can do that by:
1- Adding your name/signature to this statement/petition;  
2- Share it in your network(s), to oppose the Lebanese authorities’ decision/action to ban Sami from coming back to Lebanon.