Controversy over the extradition of Syrian soldiers

While the security source denied to Al Sharq al Awsat newspaper the presence of Syrian troops in the custody of the Lebanese army, a Lebanese judicial source told the newspaper that “the extradition of 3 Syrian soldiers came at their request, after they confirmed that they did not flee from the Syrian army .

“The soldiers said that they were border guards and that they entered Lebanese territory in an attempt to protect themselves from bullets during the clashes between the Syrian army and protesters near the border and when one of their colleagues was injured they were obliged to accompany him to a Lebanese hospitals for treatment. ”

The source explained that “among the three soldiers one was wounded in addition to the body of the Syrian soldier that died in the hospital from his wounds.” The source also said that the “the extradition process took place under the supervision of the International Red Cross which met these soldiers and was assured by them of their desire is to return to their country before handing them over to the Syrian authorities .”

The representative of the “Human Rights Watch,” in Lebanon, Nadim Houry, called on the Lebanese judiciary and the Lebanese army to deal transparently with the issue of defectors from Syria. he told Al Sharq al Awsat : “What is required is to follow international legal standards, and to respect Lebanon’s international obligations under the Treaty on the Convention against Torture, and to refrain from extraditing any person to his country if there are doubts he or she will be subjected to torture. ”