The National Human Rights Commission of Lebanon, including the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, welcomes the decision issued by the State Shura Council on 5 December 2024 in the case of the Lebanese theatre actor Ziad Itani. The Council found the Lebanese state responsible for the harm inflicted upon him as a result of serious administrative failures and ordered the government to pay financial compensation. This decision is particularly significant as it constitutes judicial recognition of the state’s responsibility for failing to prevent acts of torture and ill-treatment, and for failing to protect the presumption of innocence and the confidentiality of investigations.

The Commission recalls that the events of the Itani case, which date back to 2017, exposed serious shortcomings in the functioning of several state institutions, including security, judicial, and media bodies. The case demonstrated how the absence of effective legal and institutional safeguards can lead to grave human rights violations, including torture, defamation, and violations of the right to a fair trial. The decision of the State Shura Council confirmed that the authorities’ failure to take the necessary measures to prevent torture and to ensure accountability for those responsible constitutes a breach of the state’s duty to protect persons deprived of their liberty.

The Commission considers this ruling an important judicial milestone in affirming the principle of state responsibility for damages resulting from the malfunctioning of public services. It also represents a positive step toward strengthening accountability and combating the long-standing problem of impunity for acts of torture and ill-treatment in Lebanon. At the same time, the Commission stresses that redress for victims cannot be limited to financial compensation. It must also include effective and independent investigations into all alleged violations and the prosecution and accountability of those responsible.

The Commission calls on the Lebanese authorities to draw lessons from this case and to adopt the legislative, institutional, and procedural measures necessary to prevent similar violations in the future. These measures should be fully consistent with Lebanon’s obligations under the Convention against Torture and its Optional Protocol, as well as with Law No. 65/2017 criminalizing torture. The Commission further stresses the need to ensure respect for the presumption of innocence, safeguard the confidentiality of investigations, strengthen oversight of places of detention, and guarantee that all persons deprived of their liberty are protected from torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.

As the independent national mechanism mandated to protect human rights and prevent torture in Lebanon, the Commission reaffirms its commitment to continue monitoring conditions in places of detention and to promote the legal and institutional safeguards necessary to protect human dignity. Such efforts are essential to preventing the recurrence of violations such as those revealed in this case and to strengthening public confidence in justice and the rule of law.

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