By Olivia Alabaster
BEIRUT: International and local rights groups called Thursday for the government to immediately cease harassment of Saadeddine Shatila, a rights activist who was detained last month for his work investigating torture by security forces, and also slammed a wider pattern of intimidation against rights workers.

The groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, told a news conference held at the Press Federation in Beirut that any charges against Shatila would be in violation of international and Lebanese law.

Shatila, the country representative for Geneva-based rights group Alkarama (dignity) which investigates rights violations across the Arab world, and submits findings to the U.N., was summoned by military intelligence July 25 and was released after over seven hours of interrogation, during which he had no access to a lawyer.
The questioning focused on his research into human rights violations in Lebanon, and in particular the use of torture by the authorities. Under threat of a lawsuit against him, Shatila refused to reveal his sources.

The following day “12 armed agents from the military police and officers from military intelligence in civilian clothing came to our office. When they did not find him here they went to his home, and when his family informed him that he was not at home, they used his home telephone to call him. They did not show any warrant or judicial order,” according to Michael Romig, a human rights officer with Alkarama.
Shatila was then subject to further questioning, this time from military prosecutor Saqr Saqr, who then referred Shatila to a military investigative judge, Riad Abu Ghida.

Alkarama is expecting to hear from Ghida as early as next Wednesday. He will inform them whether Shatila is to be charged, whether the case will be referred to another judge, or the charges dropped.
Romig stressed that his organization was willing to cooperate with the Lebanese authorities and answer any questions they may have, “if the Lebanese authorities would provide these through the proper channels, in writing to our head office or requesting an official meeting with our staff. However, intimidating our representative in Lebanon … is unacceptable.”

“We request that the authorities give full protection to human rights activists working in the country, according to their obligations … in respect of U.N. law,” he added.
The rights groups also called on the authorities to properly investigate the initial allegations of torture documented by Alkarama.

A joint statement from the groups said “torture and ill-treatment remain a serious problem in Lebanese prisons and other detention facilities.”
Nadim Houry, director of the HRW Beirut office, added, “Lebanon often prides itself on its vibrant civil society but its security services seem intent on silencing many of its voices.”

The groups also highlighted other recent intimidation of rights workers in Lebanon, citing an ongoing investigation, opened in February, into the Lebanese Center for Human Rights, CLDH. The investigation was opened after the Amal Movement filed a criminal complaint against the organization for alleging in a report that some detainees had reported being tortured by members affiliated to the party, headed by Speaker Nabih Berri.
CLDH representatives were later told that the Amal complaint fell under Article 317 of the Lebanese Penal Code, “inciting sectarian conflicts between various Lebanese communities.”

Houry said that he thinks that these recent developments, including the brief detention on July 27 of Zeid Hamdan, lead singer of Lebanese band Zeid and the Wings, for lyrics referring to President Michel Sleiman, are not necessarily of a political bent.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s a narrow political thing,” Houry told The Daily Star.

“What’s particularly disturbing is lack of judicial oversight and proper handling. Clearly we need to see other state institutions activated. Where is Parliament’s oversight committee? Shouldn’t they be concerned that a human rights activist is being investigated by a military judge?”
“Human rights defenders are supposed to be looking out for people who are scared to speak out for themselves. If the human rights defenders then become too scared to speak out, what happens then?” Houry added.

The groups that issued the joint statement are: Alkarama Foundation, Association Libanaise pour l’Education et la Formation (ALEF – Act for Human Rights), the CLDH, the Palestinian Human Rights Organization, the Arab NGOs Network for Development, HRW, Amnesty International; Association Justice et Misericorde, Restart Rehabilitation Center of the Victims of Torture, the Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness) and Ruwad Frontiers.