Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture highly condemned the military action that the Lebanese army took against the demonstrators who were objecting on the increase of the gasoline prices on 27/5/2004.
At the same time, the center condemned setting the Lebanese Ministry of Work into fire, which deformed the labor’s peaceful demonstration.
According to the available information, five demonstrators were killed yesterday, May 27, 2004 after being shot by the Lebanese army in Beirut west suburbs, in a street that is characterized by high population and big number of buildings and houses.
Reports and pictures showed members of the Lebanese army hitting the demonstrators by their rifles on their heads and backs.
Khiam Rehabilitation Center is greatly concerned about such a situation that constitutes a violation for the right to express and demonstrate, which the Lebanese Law and the International Declaration of Human Rights guarantee.
Khiam Center urges the Lebanese authorities to make an immediate investigation to uncover the circumstances of the event and take legal action against the persons responsible for it.