–Photo Credit: Domestic Workers’ Advocacy Network , dowanunite.com

Articles and views shared in the Weekly News Report do not necessarily represent ARM’s views. Information in these articles has not been fact-checked by ARM and may contain some errors. ARM is simply compiling all news relevant to migrant communities to inform our advocacy efforts and to facilitate the work of organizations that cater to migrant communities.

Syrians are Being Forced by Dekwaneh Municipality to Sign a Pledge of Return [here] [here] 

The Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) received reports of Syrians who got detained in the police station of the Dekwaneh municipality.

The municipality raided the homes of Syrians in Dekwaneh, detained them and confiscated their papers. After that, they blackmailed them to sign an illegal pledge to return to Syria in exchange for their documents.

CLDH condemned the municipality’s direct violation of the law on torture, which is subject to “legal persecution.”

False Promises: Testimonies on the Reality of Kafala [here]

Domestic Workers Advocacy Network (DoWAN) released the results of their research with women from Sierra Leone currently living in Lebanon.

The testimonies of approximately 160 migrant domestic workers living in Lebanon revealed the false promises, mistreatment and violence committed by a Lebanese recruitment agency.

The report demands immediate investigation with all accused parties and to be held accountable for their crimes, as well as “the abolishment of the kafala system.”

Lebanese Government Pushes for Deportations of Syrians’ Under “Right to Safely Return to Syria” [here] and [here]

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdallah Bou Habib urged the Lebanese government to work with the Assad regime to solve the “Syrian migration crisis.” In an interview with LBC, he stated that Syrians without a “migration” card- referring to the UNHCR ID card, or imprisoned Syrians must be deported. Less than a week before that, Minister of Labor Moustafa Bayram affirmed the Syrians’ “right” to safely return to their countries during the 110th ILO conference.

Both statements were made one week after the release of the ACHR’s 2021 Annual Report, which documented numerous human rights’ violations committed against Syrians in Lebanon. Furthermore, both ministers wrongfully addressed Syrians as “migrants” when talking about Syrian refugees.