Beirut, Lebanon – 30 October 2023
"What if a bomb hits my family in the South...what if they die and I can't see them?...what will happen to me away from them?" These questions rebound within Lebanese prison walls as everyone watches the unfolding events.
With conflict raging on the Southern Lebanese borders and the threat of escalation looming over the entire country reviving past traumas, persons in detention feel fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, and pain. Violence and destruction on the outside echo loudly within the prison walls and in the face of the heaviness of uncertainty is also their inability to reach their families.
As a proactive step, UNODC, in an ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, quickly mobilized within the first week of the conflict and continues its intervention ensuring prisoners are not left behind. The on-going response targets two areas of intervention: mental health support and maintenance of personal communication, all of which help prisoners feel less anxious, better able to cope with the situation and provide a sense of safety and connectedness.
The effects of the escalation remain embedded in prisoners’ psychological state of mind since although they may, for now, be at a physically safe distance from the conflict, many of their families are still directly at risk in the South. To reduce their distress, supportive group interventions are delivered by UNODC aimed at strengthening coping mechanisms by providing techniques to address, reduce and adapt to the wide-reaching psychological effects of the war. Self-care posters have also been created and are being placed within common areas in each facility to remind prisoners of the techniques and further encourage their use. These interventions continue to be provided to all prisoners, including children and women, across the country.
The physical constraints of prison leave its inhabitants with many thoughts and worries running through their minds as means of personal communication are currently unavailable. The constant worries about their family and friends eat away at any chance of calmness, affecting their ability to care for themselves. Connectedness with the outside world provides a lifeline and is essential as a well-rounded response to the situation. UNODC support the maintenance of communication within prisons across Lebanon ensuring prisoners are taking care of themselves above everything else and allowing them to feel supported and less alone despite what is happening in the world around them.
This initiative is within the framework of the project “Enhancing access to justice, fundamental rights safeguards in the criminal justice system, and independent justice oversight mechanisms” carried out by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities and the Ministry of Justice, funded by the European Union.
