The Lebanese government has officially put an end to the use of so-called “contact and subjugation memos” — security notices issued by intelligence agencies targeting individuals under suspicion — without prior judicial authorization. These measures, long seen as a holdover from the era of Syrian control over Lebanon’s security apparatus, had been routinely circulated to border points and crossings.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Thursday issued a formal directive to security bodies, ordering the cancellation of all existing memos and stripping them of any legal effect. He also called for the referral of such cases to the competent judiciary, stressing that the memos constitute a violation of legal norms and fundamental rights.

Unlike judicial warrants, “contact memos” are issued directly by security agencies and list the names of individuals wanted, monitored, or flagged for various political, security, or criminal reasons. These memos have enabled the authorities to temporarily detain individuals at checkpoints or border crossings for questioning. 

The practice became widespread following the 2007 battle between the Lebanese Army and the Islamist group Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon. At the time, authorities said they were tracking extremist movements between Lebanon and Syria. The memos became emblematic of the entanglement between Lebanese and Syrian security forces during the years of Syrian dominance, particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s, when political dissent was routinely suppressed through arbitrary security measures.

Closely related are “subjugation lists,” which impose restrictions on individuals classified as dangerous or suspicious, again without any judicial decision. These measures may include routine surveillance, repeated summonses, travel bans, and movement restrictions within Lebanon. In some cases, individuals were required to check in periodically with specific security agencies or report on their movements. These restrictions were often imposed arbitrarily and without the subject’s legal recourse.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam issued a formal directive to all security agencies ordering them to “cancel all contact memos and strip them of any legal effect, while referring such matters to the competent judiciary.” Salam addressed the directive to the Internal Security Forces, the General Security Directorate, the Higher Customs Council, and the Customs Directorate. He reminded the agencies that the 2014 Cabinet decision, and a concurrent circular issued by the public prosecutor at the time, had already annulled all search and investigation notices issued based on contact and subjugation memos.

“It has become clear that some memos remain in effect and continue to be issued by security agencies despite the lack of any legal justification,” Salam wrote. “This constitutes an infringement on personal freedom and human rights.”

The prime minister emphasized that only public prosecutors, not intelligence bodies, have the legal authority to issue search and investigation warrants. 

“In the interest of the rule of law, respect for personal freedoms, and protection from arbitrary detention, all contact memos must be canceled and stripped of any legal standing,” Salam said. “Matters should be referred to the judiciary as appropriate.”

A senior government source confirmed that the directive is intended to be binding and closely monitored.

“This is not a recommendation; the memo was issued to be implemented. Any failure to comply will have consequences,” the source told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The source also revealed that the General Security Directorate, the agency primarily responsible for enforcing these memos at points of entry and exit, had itself briefed the prime minister on the issue and urged that the practice be halted.

A similar effort to scrap the memos was made by the Cabinet of then-Prime Minister Tammam Salam between 2014 and 2016, but security agencies largely ignored the decision and continued the practice. More recently, the government of Najib Mikati ordered a legal study to prepare for their cancellation, but the project was derailed by the outbreak of Israel’s war on Lebanon last year.