EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: MDE 18/01/91

Distr: UA/SC

27 March 1991

Further information on UA 425/90 (MDE 18/01/90, 22 October 1990 and follow-up MDE 18/02/90, 31 December 1990) - Extrajudicial executions

Lebanon:General Fu'ad 'Aoun)

Colonel 'Amir Shihab)

Colonel Karim Musawba'a)

Colonel Fu'ad Ashqar)released

Colonel Tawfiq Doumit)

Colonel Fayez al-Karim)

Colonel Salah Mansour)

and new names:

General Chamel Muzaya

General Gaby Arsouni

Colonel Jean Salloum

Major Marwan Abu Diwan

General Makhoul Hakmeh

General Louis Khoury.

Amnesty International has received information that seven officers loyal to General Michel 'Aoun, who were arrested by Syrian forces in mid-October 1990, were released from detention on 10 March 1991. They had been detained in Syria without charge or trial. After release they are reported to have been accompanied from Damascus to Beirut by Ghazi Kan'an, head of Syrian intelligence in Lebanon, and to have been handed over to the Lebanese President, Elias Hrawi, in the presence of other members of the Lebanese Government.

The released officers were among some 200 supporters of General 'Aoun reported to have been arrested by the Syrian forces in East Beirut and its suburbs on 13-14 October 1990. The majority of them were reported to have been transferred to Syria and are believed to still be in detention in prisons there or at the 'Anjar detention centre in the Beka' Valley in Lebanon.

Amnesty International has received the names of a further six Lebanese officers reported to be held by the Syrian authorities. They are:

General Chamel Muzaya, General Gaby Arsouni, Colonel Jean Salloum, Major Marwan Abu Diwan, General Makhoul Hakmeh and General Louis Khoury.

In October 1990, Mustafa Tlas, the Syrian Defence Minister, responded to Amnesty International's initial Urgent Action regarding the reported extrajudicial execution of soldiers and civilians by the Syrian forces in Lebanon in mid-October. In his communication the Defence Minister asserted that the reports received by Amnesty International were "wrong and ... fabricated by the French press ...", adding "It is not in out traditions and our custom to point a gun on the civilians who are not armed". Regarding "the arrested Lebanese who are loyal to General Aoun", he said that "they are under good care. We will hand them to the friendly Lebanese Army in the earliest opportunity".

page 2, FU 425/90

FURTHER RECOMMENDED ACTION: Telegrams/telexes/airmail letters:

- noting the release of seven officers loyal to General 'Aoun;

- expressing concern that a large number of supporters of General 'Aoun are still in detention, apparently without charge or trial, and mentioning the six whose names have recently been learned by Amnesty International;

- seeking assurances that these six and all other prisoners held in Lebanon or Syria are afforded full protection against possible torture, ill-treatment or execution and that they be allowed to receive visits from relatives and representatives of independent humanitarian organizations;

- requesting that the Syrian authorities make public information as to the number, identity and place of detention of all those arrested in Lebanon in mid-October 1990 and still held in detention.

APPEALS TO:

His Excellency President Hafez al-Assad

Presidential Palace

Damascus

Syrian Arab Republic

Telegrams: President al-Assad, Damascus, Syria

Telexes: PRESPL 419160 SY

His Excellency 'Abd al-Halim Khaddam

Vice President

Office of the President

Presidentail Palace

Damascus

Syrian Arab Republic

Telegrams: Vice-President Khaddam, Damascus, Syria

Telexes: PRESPL 419160 SY

His Excellency Lt. Gen. Mustafa Tlas

Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence

Ministry of Defence

Omayyad Square

Damascus

Syrian Arab Republic

Telegrams: Defence Minister, Damascus, Syria

Telexes: 411082 SIGCOR SY; 411371 FERMOD SY; 411500 PADAR SY

COPIES TO: Diplomatic representatives of Syria in your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 8 May 1991.