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Syrian refugees will be 'locked in their homes'Ìýthis weekendÌýas the LebaneseÌý in a crunchÌýgeneral election.

A document, confirmed by NGO Anti-Racist Movement,Ìýfrom the head of to local municipalities orders Syrian refugees toÌýremain in their homes from 6pm Saturday to 8am Monday.

The curfew coincides withÌýÌýwhich takes place on Sunday.

Activists shared a similar order for the West Bekaa region and other parts of LebanonÌýover the same period.

°®Âþµº has asked the Lebanese embassy in London for clarification on the orders but has yet to receiveÌýa response.

,ÌýRefugee and Migrant Rights Researcher at Human Rights Watch, said that these orders correspondÌýwith other measures by the state targeting refugees.

"If true, these orders are in keeping with the authorities'Ìýpractice of imposing arbitrary, discriminatory, and restrictive measures on Syrian refugees - designed to make their lives so difficult they consider returning to Syria," Hardman told °®Âþµº.

"There is no reason or legitimate basis to impose curfews at a time of national public participation."

The order has been issued in more remoteÌýareas of Lebanon where locals and security forces are able to identify Syrians, Farah Baba,Ìýadvocacy andÌýcommunications officer at Lebanon-basedÌýAnti-Racism Movement, said.

"In these towns, everyone knows everyone, andÌýdue to high rates of xenophobiaÌýany Syrians who go out on the street during this time will likely be assaulted by police or racist locals," Baba told °®Âþµº.

"There will be a heavy security presence during these days withÌýÌýjoining forces with municipal police to ensure there are no Syrians on the streets."

Many of these areas are strongholds of Hezbollah and Amal, with anti-Syrian measures - such as curfews -Ìýappealing to anti-refugee sentiments in the area, Baba said.

Hezbollah has been a key ally of Bashar Al-Assad's regime in the warÌýand Syrians in Lebanon are perceived as being pro-opposition.

Curfews such as theseÌýmight also encourage more constituents in Amal and Hezbollah-dominated townsÌýto go out and vote.

Checkpoints and patrols will likely be establishedÌýin these towns during the election day, with security forces and Hezbollah militias on the lookout for anyone who might be identified as Syrians.

Local labour laws have largely restrictedÌýSyriansÌýtoÌýthe low-paid construction sector meaning anyone wearingÌýoveralls or stained clothing will be suspect.

"The curfew will be heavily enforced and Syrians will not go out fearing being assaulted or detained, due to not having the necessary residency paperwork," Baba added.

Anti-Racism Movement recorded at least seven curfew ordersÌýby municipalities forÌý'foreign' workers. These 'racist' circulars did not mention specifically mention Syrians, perhaps to avoid backlash,Ìýsaid Baba.

Human Rights Watch has documented that 330 municipalities in Lebanon have issued curfew orders against Syrian residentsÌýbetween JanuaryÌý2020 and June 2021.Ìý

"The reasons given - such due to Covid-19 restrictions - have been very absurd, and the fact that the measures targeted only Syrians show that the curfews are racist," said Baba.

"The fact that the most recent orderÌýrefers to Syrians as 'immigrants' and not 'refugees' plays into fears among someÌýLebanese that Syrians are out to 'take your jobs' and not fleeing persecution."

There are over 1.5 million Syrian refugees living in Lebanon, most fleeing brutal regime and Russian assaults on opposition towns in Syria.

NGOs have reported many incidents of discrimination against Syrians, including withholding pay, assaults, and other abuses.

Syrians who have returned home due to the suffocating conditions in Lebanon have been . Syria is not deemed a safe destination for refugees to return to by the UN and NGOs.

At leastÌý200,000 Syrian children in Lebanon have never attended school due to paperwork issues, poverty,Ìýand bureaucracy.Ìý

Syrians and Palestinian refugees are some of the hardest hit in Lebanon by the .
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