Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the excessive use of force by Lebanese security forces against civilians taking part in peaceful protests; and if he will take steps to promote the establishment of an independent mechanism to investigate allegations of such excessive use of force.

We are aware of reports that Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF) used unlawful force against protesters at a demonstration in Beirut in December. We monitor allegations of human rights abuses closely and encourage the ISF to engage with these in an open and transparent way.

The UK signed a Memorandum Of Understanding in July 2016 with the ISF that will provide £13m of funding over three years. This aims to support the police's capabilities to better manage internal security with respect to human rights standards and to gain the trust of the community it serves.