Women demonstrate in Beirut in solidarity with human trafficking Syrian women victims

Following the uncovering of the human trafficking network north of Beirut, and in solidarity with the Syrian victims in particular, a number of Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian feminist and human rights associations organized last Friday a sit-in in front of the Justice Palace in Beirut to demand lifting the political cover for any party accomplice in the crime. On the occasion, the head of the Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering, Caroline Slaybi, said there is a determination on the part of the state not to curb the prostitution business because it is profitable, pointing out that the “advertising of the bodies of women in commercials by the tourism ministry is a blatant proof of this.”

At the end of the demonstration, a statement by participating organizations was issued which called for a transparent investigation into the human trafficking case and the disclosure of the names of persons and parties involved. The statement also demanded strict  punishment for the perpetrators, warning no mercy is justified based on excuses that the nationality of the victims are non-Lebanese. The statement urged security forces to continue their raids against other similar mafia cells. On the legal side, the above organizations called for the following: activating legislations related to protection of women against domestic violence and human trafficking; the creation of a law that criminalizes sex-based violence in Lebanon; amendment of the penal code so as it indicts both the dealer and beneficiary of sex services, in addition to the settling of the status of women refugees and provision by UNHCR of their protection. (Al Akhbar, April 9, 2016)