A wreath displaying the number of migrants believed to have perished at sea off Lebanon in 2022 was thrown into the water on Thursday off the coast of Tripoli. (Courtesy of: Mohammad Sablouh)
Abu Hashem Metlej still does not know whether his son Hashem, who was attempting to reach Italy in April 2022, is dead or alive.The boat Hashem boarded in his migration attempt carried 84 people and capsized off Qalamoun, near Tripoli in northern Lebanon, after being intercepted by the Lebanese navy.“The Red Cross told me that Hashem was one of the survivors, and some security information also says so,” the bereaved father said. “But I still do not know where he is.”Metlej told L’Orient-Le Jour that according to some, “Hashem is in Greece or in the Palestinian Territories.”“A migrant who was arrested and then released by Lebanese General Security even assured us that he had met Hashem when he was detained by the security forces and that my son was detained because he had no papers and could not prove that he was Lebanese,” he added. ...
Abu Hashem Metlej still does not know whether his son Hashem, who was attempting to reach Italy in April 2022, is dead or alive.The boat Hashem boarded in his migration attempt carried 84 people and capsized off Qalamoun, near Tripoli in northern Lebanon, after being intercepted by the Lebanese navy.“The Red Cross told me that Hashem was one of the survivors, and some security information also says so,” the bereaved father said. “But I still do not know where he is.”Metlej told L’Orient-Le Jour that according to some, “Hashem is in Greece or in the Palestinian Territories.”“A migrant who was arrested and then released by Lebanese General Security even assured us that he had met Hashem when he was detained by the security forces and that my son was detained because he had no papers and could not prove that he was...
