Lebanese and UAE foreign ministers speak after man dies in custody

BEIRUT – Lebanon’s foreign minister spoke with his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates on Saturday following the death of a Lebanese citizen in custody in the oil-rich Gulf state, Lebanon’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Lebanon’s ambassador to the UAE, Fouad Dandan, spoke by phone with the wife and brother of the late Ghazi Ezzedine, 55, the Lebanese foreign ministry said in a brief statement. . The envoy later received a signed letter from the family saying the man died as a result of a heart problem.

Ezzedine’s death had earlier raised questions about his possible mistreatment by UAE authorities. Earlier this week, a committee of family members of Lebanese citizens detained in the UAE said in a statement that Ezzedine died as a result of torture, including the man who died earlier this month.

UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan told his Lebanese counterpart Abdullah Bhabib that Ezdin’s family could either leave the UAE or stay, the foreign ministry statement said. The statement did not say whether the family would be allowed to return the man’s remains to Lebanon for burial after reports they were stopped.

Ezzedine was arrested on March 22 along with eight other people, including him The two brothers, the charges are unknown.

Ezzedine died on May 4, she said. She added that it took several days for his family to be notified and authorities asked his son to come to the cemetery to identify the body. Ezzedine’s son could only see his father’s face while his body was covered.

Watling said UAE authorities had rejected the family’s request to take him back to Lebanon for burial. The two brothers who were detained with him were subsequently released but were not allowed to leave the country.

In the past, UAE authorities have detained dozens of Lebanese, mostly Shia, over their alleged ties to the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Like other GCC members, the UAE considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

In 2019, the UAE sentenced a Lebanese national to life in prison and between two and 10 years in prison for ties to Hezbollah.