Lebanon is finding itself staring down the prospect of US sanctions after jailing an American citizen for six months.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced sanctions legislation today targeting Lebanese government, judicial and military officials responsible for holding Amer Fakhoury, who served in the Israel-backed South Lebanon Army opposed to Hezbollah during the civil war. Shaheen’s office noted that Fakhoury is suffering from stage 4 cancer and accused Lebanese security officials of beating him to extract a false confession.

“Amer is fighting for his life and time is running out,” said Shaheen, Fakhoury’s home-state senator. “Lebanon’s officials know that their behavior — which is motivated by Hezbollah’s desire to sow discord in Lebanon — is illegal even under their own laws. There must be consequences for this flagrant disregard of international norms and human rights.”

Lebanon detained Fakhoury in September but didn’t charge him with working as a senior warden at the notorious Khiam Prison until earlier this month. Fakhoury’s family has acknowledged that he worked at the prison but has denied that he served as a senior warden, asserting that he had no direct contact with inmates and was not involved in torturing them. Shaheen sent a letter urging Fakhoury’s release to Lebanese President Michel Aoun in November, to no avail.