More than 60 Prisoners Escape Lebanese Jail, Say Security Sources

More than 60 prisoners broke out of a Lebanese jail on
Saturday and five of them were killed when their car hit a tree while under
pursuit, security sources and the state news agency said.
They fled from Baabda district prison at dawn after breaking
open cell doors, state news agency NNA said, adding security forces had
cordoned off surrounding areas.
Security forces told Reuters that some 69 prisoners had
escaped and that eight had been caught. Five of the prisoners died after a car
they seized crashed into a tree, they said.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the jail
break, NNA said.
In April, Amnesty International said there had been riots
inside Lebanese jails and families' sit-in protests calling for the release of
prisoners over concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in overcrowded prisons.
It said that while the Lebanese government had taken several
measures, including some releases, the authorities should prioritize releasing
prisoners who had served their sentences and expedite its review of pre-trial
detainees.