Alkarama was today informed of the release of Hassan Al Hamadi, the 52 year old human rights defender arrested on 4 February 2011 for having voiced his support for the pro-democracy protests in Egypt. Mr Al Hamadi was released on bail on the morning of 17 February 2011, but is still pending trial.

The Geneva-based Alkarama Foundation and the Union of Muslim Human Rights Activists in Lebanon addressed a detailed communication to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention regarding the arbitrary detention of 92 detainees held in Roumieh prison during the past three years.

The men were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the events which took place between May and September 2007 at the Nahr Al-Bared refugee camp, located in northern Lebanon some 20km from Tripoli.

On 3 March 2010, 20-year-old Thamer Alkhodr was arrested by security agents. At the time of his arrest, he was not shown a warrant nor was he charged. He would spend his first two days in secret detention. Following his arrest, the agents searched his home without a warrant - confiscating some of his personal belongings including two computers belonging to his father.