President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri asked the country’s military and security bodies to adopt the necessary measures during the holidays, but emphasized firmness with “security and human rights standards.”
Aoun chaired on Wednesday a closed meeting of the Supreme Defense Council at the Baabda Palace, in the presence of Hariri, the ministers of finance, national defense, interior, economy and justice, as well as the Army commander, the general prosecutor and the government commissioner to the military court.
Aoun and Hariri asked the military and security agencies and the concerned departments to adopt the necessary measures during the holidays to facilitate the movement of citizens, tourists and expatriates, who intend to spend the year-end break in Lebanon, according to a statement by the Council.
The meeting also touched on the security situation in the Palestinian refugee camps and the social and health conditions of the refugees, especially after the decline of UNRWA assistance.
According to the statement, the Council renewed the request to the relevant security agencies to take into account international principles and standards during investigations carried out with the detainees, especially in terms of the preservation of human rights.
Aoun also instructed the concerned bodies to strengthen cooperation and coordination during the preparations for the upcoming Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, which will be held in Beirut on Jan. 16-20.
