Lebanon-Syria Judicial Agreement: Will Killers of Soldiers Be Extradited?
A draft judicial agreement between Lebanon and Syria is currently under discussion, yet it remains unclear whether it will come to fruition. Beirut is firm in its stance, refusing to extradite those responsible for the killings of military personnel and civilians. But what is the trajectory of this agreement? And what do government officials have to say?
The Agreement’s Context
Syria’s interest in issues with Lebanon is largely tied to the repatriation of hundreds of prisoners and those convicted in Lebanon for various crimes. These include the killing of Lebanese army personnel and civilians in terrorist operations, particularly from 2012 to 2016. Several meetings have been held in Beirut with Syrian officials to discuss the judicial agreement. Some interpreted the visit of Syrian Justice Minister Muzher Al-Wais to Roumieh Prison and his meeting with Syrian prisoners—some of whom are from the terrorist-designated group, Jebhat al-Nusra—as a sign that the judicial agreement was nearing completion.
Government Positions
However, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Metri confirmed to Annahar that a draft agreement on judicial cooperation between Lebanon and Syria is under discussion. He stated that, as with any extradition agreement, they are working to define who will be excluded. Lebanon is not considering backing down from its refusal to extradite those responsible for the killing of military personnel and civilians. Metri also noted the ongoing discussions about the status of detainees who could be released due to the charges against them, which are political rather than criminal.
Adel Nassar, the Minister of Justice, confirmed that he and his Syrian counterpart discussed the drafting of a judicial cooperation agreement between the two countries. He pointed out that progress has been made, with fixed exceptions, particularly regarding the non-extradition of certain convicts, especially those accused of murder and rape. Nassar clarified that the ministry is working to finalize the draft agreement through a committee headed by the Deputy Prime Minister. The meetings were based on established Lebanese principles, most notably, the non-extradition of those who killed military personnel and civilians, in addition to crimes involving personal claims.
Nassar also indicated that cases involving personal rights will be handled by the Lebanese authorities, but those convicted in such cases cannot be transferred. The same conditions that apply to Lebanon as a party to the agreement will apply to Syria. He added that there will be a study and evaluation from the state requesting the transfer to the other state, and the judicial procedures must be guaranteed in case of extradition.
Timeline and Next Steps
Regarding the completion of the agreement, work is ongoing. The Syrian Justice Minister has visited Beirut twice, and if an invitation is extended to Beirut, it will be accepted, but there is no specific date set for finalizing the draft agreement. The number of Syrian convicts and detainees is not fixed but is estimated to be around two thousand.
Sources: Annahar
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