Conflict Incident Report

BEKAA,BEIRUT/ Lebanon: The residents of several Bekaa Valley towns Monday demanded general amnesty for prisoners, as inmates at the notorious Roumieh Prison caused a disturbance in parallel with the demonstrations.

A security source told The Daily Star that inmates at Roumieh facility staged a minor protest inside their cells, banging on prison cells and demanding general amnesty.

A number of the protesting inmates had been sentenced in earlier trials, while others remain in prison without having stood a trial.

Any general amnesty requires approval from President Michel Aoun.

The Internal Security Forces said in a tweet that the disturbance followed a "series of measures taken inside the prison... after a number of protesters blocked roads in some areas across Lebanon demanding a general amnesty."

The National News Agency reported that the inmates were protesting security measures taken by guards in Bloc B in line with the protests in the northern Bekaa district.

A number of residents held simultaneous rallies outside the northern Bekaa district of Hermel, and another outside the Serail, demanding that Aoun and MPs pardon fugitives.

A source told The Daily Star that protesters are demanding a general amnesty for more than 30,000 wanted suspects, wanted on various charges.

NNA reported that roads leading to Hermel had been blocked for two hours.

Several other protesters burned tires and blocked roads leading to the Brital, Maqneh and Hay al-Sharawneh neighborhoods.

The Traffic Management Center reported that traffic was diverted to inner routes.