Lebanon’s Justice Minister, Adel Nassar, has reportedly obstructed progress on the issue of Syrian detainees in Lebanon to appease Hezbollah and secure its backing for the Kataeb Party, to which he belongs, ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections scheduled for May.
Four Lebanese sources, including two legal experts, a judicial source, and a party official, told Enab Baladi that Minister Nassar’s obstruction is politically motivated, aiming to win Hezbollah’s electoral support.
Party calculations before the elections
A Lebanese human rights source familiar with the case said Nassar insisted on reviewing each file individually, while Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi favored the collective repatriation of all Syrian prisoners.
This disagreement prompted Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to form a committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri.
According to the same source, Nassar’s stance is linked to “currying favor with Hezbollah,” as he requested that Syria hand over Hezbollah detainees in exchange for progress on the Syrian prisoners’ file.
A second Lebanese legal source confirmed that electoral considerations are also driving the Justice Minister’s position, explaining that “defending” the Lebanese army has always been an effective campaign theme, especially among competing Christian parties.
Therefore, the source said, Nassar and his party, the Kataeb, are using the detainees’ case to appeal to their electoral base by opposing the release of Syrians imprisoned for participating in the revolution, claiming they “fought the Lebanese army.”
In September, Nassar told Al-Hadath TV that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, during his meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Doha, excluded discussion of Hezbollah detainees in Syria but expressed willingness to reach an agreement on prisoners held in both countries.He added that “the Lebanese state is concerned with any Lebanese detainee in Syrian prisons.”
Response: “The Minister’s stance toward Hezbollah is well known”
A senior Kataeb Party source close to Minister Nassar denied allegations of obstruction, saying the minister’s opposition to Hezbollah is well established.
Speaking to Enab Baladi, the source said Nassar has approached the issue “objectively and legally,” describing his meeting with Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais as “very productive.”“The minister is known for his anti-Hezbollah stance,” he added, stressing that the Kataeb Party “has no involvement in judicial matters.”
The same source denied any link between the detainee file and the elections, asserting that “handing over Syrian prisoners will not affect the vote.”
However, the two legal sources interviewed by Enab Baladi maintained that complex electoral calculations are pushing the Kataeb and Hezbollah into overlapping interests, though not formal alliances, against the Lebanese Forces Party.
The detainees’ case
The Syrian Network for Human Rights estimates that around 2,000 Syrians are held in Lebanon’s Roumieh Prison, including approximately 190 arrested for participating in the Syrian revolution.
Located northeast of Beirut, Roumieh is Lebanon’s largest prison, holding over 4,000 inmates despite a capacity of only 1,200, leading to severe overcrowding and poor conditions.
There are no official estimates for the number of missing Lebanese in Syria, but the Association of Lebanese Detainees in Syrian Prisons puts the figure at 622.Former Justice Minister Henri Khoury submitted a list of more than 6,500 names of missing Lebanese in Syria in December 2024.
No final vision yet
In a joint press conference on October 14, Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais and his Lebanese counterpart Adel Nassar said discussions on detainees were ongoing.Nassar emphasized the need to “respect the legal frameworks and sovereignty of both states,” while al-Wees noted that “we have not yet reached a final vision, but our positions are close and the will to cooperate is mutual.”
Al-Wees headed a Syrian delegation tasked with following up on the detainee issue and exploring “cooperation to lift injustice and achieve justice,” according to Syria’s Ministry of Justice.
The visit came days after the Syrian Foreign Ministry’s Director of Arab Affairs, Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, announced an agreement with Lebanon to hand over a number of Syrian inmates, excluding those convicted of crimes resulting in civilian deaths.He said the Lebanese side showed “great responsiveness” to Syrian demands, expressing hope the step would “turn the page of the past,” since “many Syrians in Lebanese prisons face fabricated or mistaken charges.”
Detainees’ issue a top priority
These understandings followed an official visit to Lebanon by a Syrian delegation led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, accompanied by Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais, Intelligence Chief Hussein al-Salamah, and Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad.
Al-Wees said the visit marked “a new beginning in relations between the two neighboring countries,” stressing that resolving the detainees’ issue was “a top priority” and that further meetings were planned “to end this humanitarian tragedy.”
The Syrian delegation also met President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to discuss the detainees’ file and other bilateral matters.For his part, Foreign Minister al-Shaibani said talks addressed “several key issues of mutual concern,” particularly “accelerating the resolution of the Roumieh prisoners’ case.”
“We have made significant progress today on this issue, and tangible results are expected soon,” al-Shaibani added.
The fate of Syrian detainees in Lebanon and Lebanese missing in Syria remains among the top issues shaping relations between the two countries.It was first officially discussed during a Syrian Foreign Ministry delegation’s visit to Beirut on September 1, followed by a Lebanese government delegation’s trip to Damascus to follow up on details.
Lebanese Justice Minister obstructs Syrian detainees’ case over party interests Enab Baladi.
Hence then, the article about lebanese justice minister obstructs syrian detainees case over party interests was published today ( ) and is available on ُEnabbaladi ( Syria ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Lebanese Justice Minister obstructs Syrian detainees’ case over party interests )
Also on site :
- Antonia Lofaso Offers Rare Reflection About Her Partner's Sudden Death: 'Every Birthday, Every Holiday'
- Matt LeBlanc Made a Rare Appearance With His Daughter - and It's the Sweetest Thing
- S&P downgrades France’s credit rating