Lebanon and Syria made progress on a long-standing bilateral judicial agreement during a high-level meeting in Beirut on Tuesday, with discussions focused on the status of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons.

The meeting, held at Lebanon’s old government headquarters, brought together Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Metri and Justice Minister Adel Nassar with a Syrian delegation led by Justice Minister Mazhar Al-Wais, who arrived in Beirut earlier in the day.

Minister Nassar said the talks addressed the drafting of the judicial agreement, adding that the framework would exclude Lebanese civil and military homicide cases and rape cases.

“We have taken serious steps to finalize the text within a legal framework,” Nassar said.

The discussions also covered individuals who had fled from Lebanon to Syria, as well as the exchange of information on security and political assassinations witnessed in Lebanon.

Committees from both countries were tasked with organizing the implementation of these measures.

“No fixed timeline has been set for completing the agreement, but both sides must respect legal frameworks. The work should proceed as quickly as possible. The most important point is to affirm the sovereignty of both states and the willingness of both parties to cooperate,” Nassar said.

Syrian Justice Minister Al-Wais emphasized that the talks go beyond Syrian detainees, saying discussions with Lebanon cover judicial cooperation at all levels, not only the issue of Syrian prisoners. He added that Lebanon was asked to provide information on individuals who fled Syrian justice under the previous regime, and said decisions would be guided by principles of justice and sovereignty.

Deputy Prime Minister Metri confirmed that he had coordinated with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and that a meeting would be held Wednesday to address overcrowding in Lebanese prisons.

“We are working to finalize an agreement with Syria to resolve the issue of Syrian prisoners in our custody,” he said.

Sources familiar with the discussions told Sky News Arabia that both sides are expected to agree on a judicial framework to transfer some detainees who were arrested in Lebanon in recent years on charges related to their ties to groups linked to the Syrian uprising. Officials also discussed the possibility of expediting trials for other detainees to facilitate their potential release.

As part of the visit, the Syrian delegation is scheduled to tour Roumieh prison to meet with a number of Syrian detainees and review their conditions, Al-Modon reported. 

Deputy Prime Minister Metri confirmed the visit on Al Jadeed TV, stating that the delegation would meet several inmates and assess the situation firsthand.