Beirut  - An international human rights watchdog says immigrant maids in Lebanon are dying of "unnatural causes" at an alarming rate and called for an immediate investigation, local radios reported Wednesday.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said at least 95 migrants who worked as domestic servants died in Lebanon since January 2007, mostly in suicides or in attempts to escape abuse.

Researcher Nadim Houry said domestic workers are dying "at a rate of more than one per week."

A report by HRW last year criticized several Gulf states and Lebanon for failing to stop abuse and secure protection for migrant women workers, around of 150,000 work in Lebanon.

A maid from Sri Lanka working in Beirut told Deutsche Presse- Agentur dpa that 60 per cent her fellow servants in Lebanon "work long hours, are left hungry and beaten."

"Few are treated well," said the maid, who requested anonymity.

She lashed out at her country's embassy and said "so far the embassy has not been able to protect its nationals from the frequent abuse they face in Lebanese homes."

"I think the Lebanese government should put a law to protect foreign maids, or give us rights to leave immediately if we are badly treated. ..," she said angrily.

She described the situation of maids in Lebanon as "slavery."

"When someone holds on to your passport, this means he is taking your freedom away from you. If a maid is well treated she will not run away," said the maid, who has worked in Lebanon for more than 15 years. (dpa)