عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Features

Woman Killings Surge in Lebanon: 21 Wives Killed by Husbands in 2023

An initiative by women’s rights organizations in Lebanon titled ‘Enough is Enough’ (KAFA Society)
An initiative by women’s rights organizations in Lebanon titled ‘Enough is Enough’ (KAFA Society)
TT
TT

Woman Killings Surge in Lebanon: 21 Wives Killed by Husbands in 2023

An initiative by women’s rights organizations in Lebanon titled ‘Enough is Enough’ (KAFA Society)
An initiative by women’s rights organizations in Lebanon titled ‘Enough is Enough’ (KAFA Society)

“After enduring a decade of suffering with her husband, my sister decided to leave him - and he killed her,” Umm Ali told Asharq Al-Awsat, encapsulating the tragic story of Lebanese national Amira Moughnieh, who was murdered by her husband in Australia last June.

“My sister got married at 19 and moved to Australia with her husband. For years, she faced various pressures, including being isolated at home. When she asked for a divorce, he refused, and even mediation failed,” Umm Ali added.

“Finally, when she decided to leave and live elsewhere with her kids, he became threatening and refused to support them. But we never imagined it would end in murder,” she explained.

After Moughnieh initiated divorce proceedings, her husband killed her upon receiving a court notification. Now, he’s in custody awaiting investigation, still denying his actions.

This story, however, is sadly not unique.

In 2023, 21 Lebanese women were killed by their husbands, with more cases reported this year.

This violence against women is exacerbated by societal reactions, often minimizing crimes committed by men while sensationalizing those by women.

Zoya Jreidini, director of anti-violence organization “KAFA”, attributed the rise in such crimes to economic and social instability, compounded by laws that favor male dominance in families.

She emphasized the need for greater awareness and attention to these crimes, which are now being discussed more openly in society and on social media.

Jreidini highlighted the troubling cases of suicide among women in Lebanon, often attributed solely to mental health issues.

However, she noted a positive shift in Lebanese society, with more women seeking help from organizations after experiencing abuse.

Jreidini pointed out a problem in the legal system, where cases of violence against women face delays. She insisted on the need for specialized family courts to deter such crimes.

Regarding legal representation, Jreidini explains that it varies depending on the victim’s family’s choice. Some opt to work with KAFA’s lawyers, while others prefer private attorneys, and some decide not to pursue further legal action.

Most Viewed

 
 
Features

Syrians Face Horror, Fearing Loved Ones May Be in Mass Graves

People search for human remains at a trench believed to be used as a mass grave on the outskirts of Damascus - AFP
People search for human remains at a trench believed to be used as a mass grave on the outskirts of Damascus - AFP
TT
TT

Syrians Face Horror, Fearing Loved Ones May Be in Mass Graves

People search for human remains at a trench believed to be used as a mass grave on the outskirts of Damascus - AFP
People search for human remains at a trench believed to be used as a mass grave on the outskirts of Damascus - AFP

After losing hope of finding his two brothers among those freed from Syrian jails, Ziad Alaywi was filled with dread, knowing there was only one place they were likely to be: a mass grave.

"We want to know where our children are, our brothers," said the 55-year-old standing by a deep trench near Najha, southeast of Damascus.

"Were they killed? Are they buried here?" he asked, pointing to the ditch, one of several believed to hold the bodies of prisoners tortured to death.

International organizations have called these acts "crimes against humanity".

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8 and the takeover by an Islamist-led opposition alliance, families across Syria have been searching for their loved ones.

"I've looked for my brothers in all the prisons," said the driver from the Damascus suburbs, whose siblings and four cousins were arrested over a decade ago.

"I've searched all the documents that might give me a clue to their location," he added, but it was all in vain.

Residents say there are at least three other similar sites, where diggers were frequently seen working in areas once off-limits under the former government.

- 'Peace of mind' -

The dirt at the pit where Alaywi stands looks loose, freshly dug. Children run and play nearby.

If the site was investigated, "it would allow many people to have peace of mind and stop hoping for the return of a son who will never return", he said.

"It's not just one, two, or three people who are being sought. It's thousands."

He called on international forensic investigators to "open these mass graves so we can finally know where our children are."

Many Syrians who spoke to AFP in recent days expressed disappointment at not finding their loved ones in the prisons opened after the takeover by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

A few kilometres (miles) from Najha, a team of about 10 people, most in white overalls, was transferring small white bags into larger black ones with numbers.

Syrian Civil Defense teams have received numerous calls from people claiming to have seen cars dumping bags by the roadside at night. The bags were later found to contain bones.

"Since the fall of the regime, we've received over 100 calls about mass graves. People believe every military site has one," said civil defence official Omar al-Salmo.

- Safeguard evidence -

The claim isn't without reason, said Salmo, considering "the few people who've left prisons and the exponential number of missing people."

There are no official figures on how many detainees have been released from Syrian jails in the past 10 days, but estimates fall far short of the number missing since 2011.

In 2022, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor estimated that more than 100,000 people had died in prison, mostly due to torture, since the war began.

"We're doing our best with our modest expertise," said Salmo. His team is collecting bone samples for DNA tests.

On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch urged the new Syrian authorities to "secure, collect and safeguard evidence, including from mass grave sites and government records... that will be vital in future criminal trials".

The rights group also called for cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, which could "provide critical expertise" to help safeguard the records and clarify the fate of missing people.

Days after Assad's fall, HRW teams visiting Damascus's Tadamun district, the site of a massacre in April 2013, found "scores of human remains".

In Daraa province, Mohammad Khaled regained control of his farm in Izraa, seized for years by military intelligence.

"I noticed that the ground was uneven," said Khaled.

"We were surprised to discover a body, then another," he said. In just one day, he and others including a forensic doctor exhumed a total of 22 bodies.