Families of Lebanese migrants detained in Cyprus stage protest in northern Lebanon. (Courtesy of Michel Hallak/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Tens of family members, including young children, of Lebanese migrants detained in Cyprus protested in the center of Bebnine in Akkar, demanding the release of their detained loved ones, our correspondent in the north reported on Sunday.
Thirty men from Bebnine, who departed Lebanon using irregular sea migration routes, are currently incarcerated on the Mediterranean island. Their families have repeatedly urged the Lebanese authorities to negotiate their return with their Cypriot counterparts.
The town's mokhtar (a local official responsible for records) and head of the Akkar Mukhtar Association, Zaher Kassar, was also present at the protest and expressed frustration over the delays in handling the detainees' cases in Cyprus. He said he hoped that efforts with the Cypriot government and Lebanese authorities would lead to a swift resolution for those stranded abroad.
“Our loved ones migrated clandestinely to Cyprus, seeking to escape from poverty and hunger, only to end up imprisoned,” Kassar said, according to our correspondent.
Children present at the protest held up pictures of their fathers who are currently detained.
This is the not the first protest the families have held. In May, family members gathered outside the Cypriot Embassy in Louaizeh, Baabda, calling for progress to be made on their loved ones' cases.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen announced €1 billion in aid for Lebanon during a visit to the country on May 2. The donation aims to "revive the economy" and launch several projects, including border protection. Von der Leyen's visit coincided with that of Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis, whose country has repeatedly warned of an influx of migrants making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Lebanon.
The Lebanese Army often thwarts smuggling operations by sea, arresting smugglers and would-be migrants.
Reporting contributed by Michel Hallak
