Reports | 18 03 2026
Bamela Saab
At the Lebanon–Syria border, the transfer of 137 Syrian prisoners from Lebanese custody marked the first tangible step in implementing a long-awaited judicial agreement between the two countries, highlighting the intersection of security concerns and politics in the region.
According to a Lebanese judicial source, the decision was signed Monday afternoon by Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Judge Jamal Al-Hajjar, authorizing the handover of prisoners who had been serving their sentences in Roumieh Central Prison.
The move comes under the judicial agreement signed last February, which allows convicts to be transferred to their home country to complete their sentences.
The operation focused on a specific group of inmates: those with final and binding sentences, who have served more than ten years in Lebanese prisons, and who have no remaining legal proceedings or unresolved personal claims, ensuring a smooth initial transfer.
The judicial source told reporters that this first batch is part of a broader plan, which will eventually include 347 Syrian prisoners who previously requested transfers to Syria. Subsequent transfers will proceed as legal procedures for each case are completed.
“Carrying out the first transfer under current security conditions demonstrates that the agreement is being effectively implemented, and Lebanon is committed to completing it,” the source added.
Under the terms of the agreement, transferred prisoners will serve the remainder of their sentences in Syria.