A hunger strike involving roughly 400 prisoners at Roumieh prison in Lebanon has entered its third week, with legal representatives describing the health situation as increasingly critical. Mohammed Sablouh, director of the Prisoners’ Rights Center at the Tripoli Bar Association, reported that inmates are refusing food, water, and medical treatment, prompting daily hospital transfers for those experiencing severe physical decline.
The inmates initiated the strike on September 12 in response to the suspension of a general amnesty law that had been approved on August 12. The legislation was designed to address severe overcrowding in Lebanese correctional facilities by allowing immediate release or sentence reductions for certain categories of prisoners, particularly those convicted of minor offenses. The suspension has become a focal point of public discontent, with demonstrations occurring in Tripoli and other areas.
Among the striking prisoners are individuals arrested in connection with solidarity activities supporting the Syrian uprising against former President Bashar al-Assad. The Free Patriotic Movement, a major Lebanese political party, has challenged the amnesty suspension before the Constitutional Council, citing concerns about inmates classified as terrorism suspects. A ruling from the council is anticipated in the coming month.
Lebanese detention facilities operate significantly beyond capacity, currently holding approximately 8,500 inmates in facilities designed for roughly 3,000. Legal advocates attribute the overcrowding crisis partly to prolonged pretrial detention and judicial inefficiencies. More than 40 prisoners died in 2025, with deaths attributed to inadequate medical care, alleged torture, and suicide related to case delays and repeated trial postponements. Legal experts have cited failures to enforce maximum detention limits established in criminal procedure law.
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