Investigations into politically sensitive murders in Lebanon flawed-HRW

FILE PHOTO: Lokman Slim, an activist and publisher who ran a research centre, speaks during an interview, in a still image taken from Reuters TV footage shot on February 2, 2009, in Beirut, Lebanon. Reuters TV/via REUTERS

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Flawed investigations and procedural violations in four politically sensitive murders highlight how donor funding and training for Lebanon's security forces and judiciary have failed to secure the rule of law, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

In a report published on Thursday, HRW said its findings followed examinations of preliminary probes by the Internal Security Forces (ISF) under public prosecution supervision of four murders over the past two years. They were prompted by allegations that politically connected and powerful groups were responsible.