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Desperate Choices: Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Face Perilous Returns Amid Ongoing Human Rights Violations

Syrian refugees in Lebanon find themselves compelled to return to their homeland, despite the lack of safe options and alternatives for remaining in Lebanon, as well as the security risks and instability they face. These refugees are trapped in a dilemma, balancing the insecurity and scarcity of resources in Lebanon against the absence of security guarantees upon their return to Syria. This harsh reality forces them to make difficult decisions, exacerbating their suffering and deepening the humanitarian crisis.
In areas under Syrian government control, there has been a surge in arbitrary arrests of returning Syrian displaced persons who were forced to flee from intensive Israeli bombardments on Lebanese cities and towns, with security forces pursuing them.
Human rights organizations have documented the arrest of over 40 returning Syrians in recent weeks, with reports of one individual dying under torture in Syrian regime prisons. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the arrest of 43 returnees from Lebanon since the beginning of this month, among whom 35 faced charges from the regime's security apparatus for “deserting mandatory military service.” Moreover, one citizen died as a result of torture in detention.
Reports indicate that many of these detainees are subjected to torture and ill-treatment inside detention centers without clear charges, worsening their suffering and adding to the record of violations against Syrian civilians. Many of the displaced have become targets for these arbitrary arrests, which sometimes include allegations of desertion from military service, while others are taken to unknown locations without any disclosure of their fate. The Syrian Network for Human Rights confirmed in a report on Tuesday regarding Syrian refugees returning from Lebanon, titled “The Struggles of Return: Severe Violations Faced by Syrian Refugees Returning from Lebanon,” that the regime arrested more than 26 individuals from September 23 to October 25 of this year.
The report, which spans 20 pages, highlights that Syrian refugees in Lebanon are facing deteriorating conditions that put them in a severe crisis to meet their basic needs for food, housing, and healthcare.
According to the Syrian Network, despite some cases of partial and forced returns of Syrian refugees, Syria “remains an unsafe environment for them, as the Syrian regime continues its repressive practices of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and torture.” Since the beginning of this year, the regime has forcibly arrested at least 208 returnees, including two children and six women, with six of those detained dying under torture in custody. The regime continues to issue legislation that allows it to seize the properties of refugees and forcibly displaced persons as part of a systematic policy to strengthen its control over the lands and properties left behind by their owners.
In this context, Fadel Abdul Ghani, director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights, stated, “In the absence of any measures to ensure the rights and safety of returnees, Syrian refugees returning from Lebanon face security and legal challenges that require the establishment of real and effective mechanisms to guarantee the protection of their rights and prevent ongoing violations, especially by the security forces of the Syrian regime. Forced returns without adequate guarantees exacerbate the humanitarian situation in Syria, necessitating urgent measures from the international community to improve the conditions of returnees and secure their basic rights.”
The report documents numerous violations, including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and forced conscription by Syrian regime forces, as well as financial extortion and discrimination in the distribution of humanitarian aid. It also outlines the harsh procedures some conflict parties have adopted to facilitate the return of refugees to their areas, including controlling the opening and closing of crossings, conducting security investigations, and requiring sponsorship, alongside the difficult humanitarian conditions faced by refugees when crossing between different controlled areas.
According to the Syrian Network's database, at least 26 refugees, including one woman, were documented as arrested after returning from Lebanon to escape the escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon during the period from September 23 to October 25, 2024. Among these, four were taken for compulsory or reserve conscription, while one detainee was killed as a result of torture in detention, with his body returned to his family. These figures highlight the regime's ongoing repressive approach toward returnees and demonstrate the lack of genuine guarantees despite the formal measures imposed upon them, reinforcing the notion that the current violations are not significantly different from those that initially drove them to flee, with arrest, forced conscription, and enforced disappearance becoming an increasingly grim reality for their lives.
The report noted that Lebanese refugees benefited from official shelters numbering about 30 centers distributed across the provinces of Rural Damascus, Tartus, Latakia, Homs, Hama, and Aleppo, whereas most Syrian refugees, particularly those whose homes were destroyed, remain without official shelter. Many had to rely on support from relatives or seek refuge in informal gatherings; others spent extended periods outdoors, with some families receiving assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees through local partners linked to the Syrian regime, though this aid has been insufficient to meet their basic needs.
The UNHCR recently announced that approximately
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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