Case History: Maher Ahmed Ibrahim
On 18 June 2015, Syrian human rights defender Mr Maher Ahmed Ibrahim was released from detention. He has been requested to present himself before the National Security on 1 July 2015 and remains at risk of prosecution or deportation.
Maher Ahmed Ibrahim is a Syrian human rights defender who moved to Lebanon in 2013 after being seriously threatened by the Syrian regime. He is the executive director and a founder of the Development Interaction Network (DIN), which was established by a group of young Syrian activists to assist Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and document human rights crimes committed by the Syrian regime and other warring parties.
On 15 June 2015, Syrian human rights defender Mr Maher Ahmed Ibrahim, was detained by the Lebanese Army Intelligence in Beirut.
Maher Ahmed Ibrahim was detained on 15 June 2015 following his presentation at the office of the Army Intelligence in Beirut at around 08.00 am on the morning of the same day. He was appearing in response to a written summons he had received on 13 June 2015, for questioning over 'some security matters'. The human rights defender was held incommunicado from the time of his detention until the morning of 18 June 2015, when he was allowed to communicate with his family. No charges have been presented against him, and he remains without access to a lawyer.
In December 2014, a unit from the Army Intelligence raided the premises of the DIN in Beirut and interrogated Maher Ahmed Ibrahim, along with other staff members. The human rights defender was repeatedly warned by officers affiliated with the Army Intelligence that he would be deported back to Syria if he continued his activities on the situation in Syria from within Lebanon.
On 18 June 2015, Syrian human rights defender Mr Maher Ahmed Ibrahim was released from detention. He has been requested to present himself before the National Security on 1 July 2015 and remains at risk of prosecution or deportation.
Maher Ahmed Ibrahim was detained on 15 June 2015 by the Lebanese Army Intelligence in Beirut following his presentation at the office of the Army Intelligence at around 08.00 am on the morning of the same day. He was appearing in response to a written summons he had received on 13 June 2015, for questioning over 'some security matters'. The human rights defender was held incommunicado from the time of his detention until the morning of 18 June 2015, when he was allowed to communicate with his family. No charges have been presented against him. During his time in detention he was reportedly verbally assaulted by investigators, who threatened to deport him to Syria or prosecute him on terrorism-related charges.
Whilst he was detained, the Army Intelligence questioned Maher Ahmed Ibrahim about his work in Lebanon and his contacts with Syrians inside and outside Syria. His identity documents, including his passport, were seized and upon release he was requested to appear again before the National Security on 1 July 2015.
In December 2014, a unit from the Army Intelligence raided the premises of the DIN in Beirut and interrogated Maher Ahmed Ibrahim, along with other staff members. The human rights defender was repeatedly warned by officers affiliated with the Army Intelligence that he would be deported back to Syria if he continued his activities on the situation in Syria from within Lebanon.
