Thread by @Aya_Majzoub

The Military Court has charged at least 6 of the detained #Tripoli protesters with "terrorism and theft," according to their lawyer Ayman Raad. We have said it before, and we will say it again:

#Lebanon's military courts have NO business trying civilians. (1/6)

https://twitter.com/Akhbaralsaha/status/1363806533100974085

Structure of #Lebanon's military courts undermines right to fair trial:
-many of judges are military officers, appointed by Defense Minister, who are not required to have any legal training
-military personnel serving as judges remain subordinate to the defense minister.
(2/6)

Those who have stood trial at military court described to @hrw:
-incommunicado detention
-interrogations w/out lawyer
-ill-treatment & torture, incl of children
-the use of confessions extracted under torture,
(3/6)

Torture survivors described beatings, psychological torture, electric shocks, being hung by the wrists w hands tied behind the back & orders to sign statements while blindfolded

In some of the cases, the coerced confession was the only evidence presented in military court
(4/6)

Lebanese lawyers told @hrw that sentencing in the military courts is inconsistent and seemingly arbitrary, and that they have come to expect guilty sentences regardless of the evidence against their client.
(5/6)

.@hrw has documented a pattern: military courts have used their broad jurisdiction over civilians in #Lebanon to intimidate or retaliate against individuals for political reasons & to stamp out dissent.
(6/6)
hrw.org/news/2017/01/2…