Lebanon residency regulations imperil Syrians

BEIRUT – Human Rights Watch says Lebanese residency laws are putting Syrian refugees in danger, arguing that the policies "set the stage for a potentially explosive situation."

The regulations, adopted a year ago, have forced refugees to either return to Syria, where they are at risk of persecution, torture or death, or to stay in Lebanon illegally, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, the rights group said in a report published Tuesday.

Of the 40 refugees interviewed for the report, only two have been able to renew their residencies since January 2015.

Last week, Lebanon forcefully repatriated 407 Syrians after they were left stranded at Beirut airport. Amnesty International called the action "an outrageous breach of Lebanon's international obligations."

Lebanon is home to over a million refugees fleeing Syria's civil war.