Lebanon accused of leaving Syrian refugees at risk of abuse
Lebanon is effectively barring many Syrian refugees from renewing their residency permits, putting them at risk of exploitation and "setting the stage for a potentially explosive situation", rights campaigners warned on Tuesday.
Human Rights Watch said a $200 annual renewal fee introduced last year was prohibitive for most Syrian refugees in Lebanon where the great majority rely on aid.
HRW's deputy Middle East director, Nadim Houry, warned that the residency rules were "making life impossible for refugees ... and pushing them underground".
"The last thing Lebanon needs is a large, undocumented community living at the margins of society, at heightened risk of abuse."
