CLDH in brief

CLDH is the official Lebanese organization that carries out, locally in Lebanon, the activities of the Franco-Lebanese Movement SOLIDA (Support for Lebanese Detained Arbitrarily) based in France. SOLIDA has been active since 1996 in the struggle against arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and the impunity of those perpetrating serious Human rights violations, and is a member organization of the Euro-Mediterranean Network of Human Rights (REMDH)

CLDH was set up in Beirut in October 2006 by the SOLIDA team assisted by local Human rights activists, and has the following objectives:

• Fight the practice of enforced disappearance of Lebanese citizens (and persons otherwise residing in Lebanon),
• Fight arbitrary detention,
• Fight against the impunity of those perpetrating serious Human rights violations,
• Rehabilitate the victims of torture,
• Improve the capacities of the Lebanese civil society.

Birth of CLDH

In May 2006, a few members of the SOLIDA team, which had always operated in Europe while regularly carrying out fact-finding missions in Lebanon, opened an office in Beirut. Endowed with a legal status in France, the SOLIDA organization has registered the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH) with the Lebanese authorities in October 2006. The CLDH is therefore the official entity which is continuing SOLIDA’s local activities on the ground in Lebanon. This was in fact a step taken to, first, simplify the legal aspects surrounding the work on the ground, and second, to ensure that CLDH was operating within Lebanese law. The creation of CLDH in Beirut has given opportunity to reach more victims and their families, and to follow their cases more closely.

The CLDH team work in close partnership with the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), Amnesty International, ACAT (Action by Christians Against Torture), FIACAT (International Federation of ACAT), Human Rights Watch and various other NGOs.

In Lebanon, the work of the association is regularly reported by the media, particularly in the form of the regular publication of the press releases, and CLDH representatives maintain constant communication with the highest authorities.

Current Activities

The CLDH team supports initiatives aimed at determining the fate of all missing persons in Lebanon, whether at the hands of Lebanese militias or foreign armies. In this context, CLDH, in partnership with SOLIDA-France continuously tracks several files submitted to the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances.

CLDH regularly follows up on numerous cases of arbitrary detention in Lebanon in coordination with Lebanese and international organizations, and with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. In several cases, the monitoring of the file by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, in conjunction with the efforts of organizations concerned with the initiative, enabled the determination of the secrecy or the illegality of the detention, and brought the situation to a rapid conclusion with the release of the prisoner.

CLDH is also monitoring a number of people who were victims of serious Human rights violations, and regularly provides them with legal, social and medical support by mobilizing networks of professionals and members of associations that have grouped themselves around the organization over the years.

CLDH has established in October 2006 a daily thematic press review on Human rights violations and on-going judiciary cases in Lebanon. This press review is sent everyday to 45 organizations that asked for its reception.

CLDH organizes regularly press conferences on the sub-mentioned issues in Lebanon, which are largely reported by the media. CLDH continues collecting, recording and documenting all relevant data and information.

The CLDH has recently opened in Beirut a Rehabilitation Centre for the Victims of Torture. The main mission of this Centre is to provide victims with psychological, medical, social and professional support and to contribute to their rehabilitation in social life.