Young Eva freed but subject to media abuse with her abductors still benefiting from impunity

Lebanese media covered in great details yesterday the release of young Eva from her abductors while she appeared on New TV talk show programme “Lil Nasher” with talk show host Tony Khalifeh.  Law enforcement secured the release of young Eva following the intervention of middle people after she spent 16 days in captivity during which she was forcibly married to the son of her captor.  She was interrogated at the police station in Ouzai with the presence of a representative of the office of protection of minors and is due to be subsequently delivered to the care of a social centre after the legalization of her divorce by the Jaafari Mufti Ahmad Kabalan.  Meanwhile, the police is still looking for her abductors.
According to Al Akhbar newspaper, the case of Eva is expected to remain open as long as her abductor, her rapist and whoever signed her marriage are still free.  According to Al Akhbar, the operation that led to the release of Eva included a raid on several locations where the girl was believed to be held captive in addition to using other forms of investigation including the use of mediators who promised to bring young Eva back.  The legal authorities subsequently ordered that the young girl be kept in a safe place which is suitable for minors until her captors are brought to justice.
Eva’s family lawyer Bushra al Khalil outlined the harm done by the New TV programme Al Nasher which not only cast a stereotype on the young woman by presenting her as a model happy housewife but the programme also presented a positive image of her abductor whom the TV showed as saying that “Eva has now become like my daughter”.  According to the lawyer, the NTV programme tried to shift the parameters of this case which had severe consequences on the little girl by resorting to cheap sensationalist methods.  The TV programme further added insult to injury by presenting the opinion of the Muslim clergy Hasan Chahin who indicated that this forced marriage to a minor is legal if the union is consensual and if the girl is well treated especially that she is more than 9 years of age, and, therefore, fit to marriage according to the clergy!
Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Akhbar, Al-Nahar, Al-Safir 30 October 2013