The signatories of this appeal wish to express their deep concern to the Lebanese political and judicial authorities about Mr. Faysal Ghazi Moqalled, aged 32, whose trial on appeal shall begin on November 24, 2009 before the Court of Appeal of Beirut’s Military Tribunal. Mr. Moqalled has allegedly been severely tortured in view of making him sign confessions.
According to the information collected, Mr. Moqalled suffered 5 months of illegal detention in a Hezbollah prison (from February 2006 to July 2006), where he has been allegedly tortured to make him confess his assumed membership in the Israeli Mossad, before being detained for 20 months in the Ministry of Defense (until March 26, 2008), where he has been supposedly severely tortured once again.
Faysal Ghazi Moqalled is currently suffering from back pain. His fingers have been visibly broken as well as six of his front teeth. In addition, he suffers from a severe psychological trauma resulting from the exactions he was allegedly subjected to, including electric shocks, mock execution by gas, the balanco(arms tied behind his back, the victim is suspended from the ceiling using a pulley), the fallaqa (repeated blows on the soles of the feet), rape threats as well as various humiliations and serious deprivations.
His first hearing before the examining magistrate is dated August 5, 2006. MrMoqalled had no lawyer and, according to our information, has reportedly suffered serious reprisals from his jailers (including being subjected once more to the torture of balanco) as a result of complaining about being tortured before the examining magistrate.
On July 31, 2009, the military court sentenced him to life imprisonment for:
- Giving information to the enemy in order to help the latter win the war (although he was apparently detained several months before the Israeli attack against Lebanon in July 2006).
- Entering Israel without permission (the person concerned denies this information, and there seems to be no conclusive evidence that can either confirm or refute this crime).
- Working with the enemy army.
It is very likely that the conviction in trial court is solely based on confessions signed under torture.
If confirmed, these allegations represent very serious violations of Lebanon's international commitments, in particular of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Lebanon is a party and which stands above the national law according to the country's constitution.
We ask the competent authorities for an investigation into allegations of torture, including ordering a medical and psychiatric expertise of the person concerned. All the evidence that would verify the allegations should be considered and his confession signed during the preliminary investigation should be invalidated if the allegations are confirmed.
Our organizations would also like to remind the Lebanese authorities of their obligation to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Moqalled, which include preventing any attempt to transfer him to places of detention where he might be subjected to physical or psychological violence.
CLDH (Lebanese Center for Human Rights)
ACAT France (Action by Christians Against Torture)
Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l’Homme (AEDH)
Beirut, Paris, Lyon, November 23, 2009
Press Contact: Wadih Al Asmar : (+961) 70 950 780
(Also spelled Faical Mokaled, Faisal Mokalled, Faisal Moqalled)
(Also spelled Faical Mokaled, Faisal Mokalled, Faisal Moqalled)
