Woman judge issues a second landmark ruling in favor of a migrant woman domestic worker in Lebanon

Al Akhbar newspaper published a report on the court ruling issued by Dina Abdoul, the Penal judge in Keserouan sentencing the women employer of a Filipino women domestic worker to a three month prison term and a penalty of 100000 LBP according to the stipulation of clause 555 of the penal code.  The defendant was also ordered to pay compensations to the plaintiff amounting to 10 million LBP and to cover all ensuing legal costs.  The report adds that this court ruling followed a complaint lodged by the Philippine embassy to the Public Prosecution Appeals in Mount Lebanon back in 2008 based on the report of the forensic doctor Kivork Jeyan which ascertains that the plaintiff was subjected to physical violence by her employer over more than 70% of her body.
According to the news report, this is the second such ruling with the first dating to July 2013 and which ruled for a prison sentence for the defendant because of failure to pay the employee’s salaries.  However, in both case, justice was served rather belatedly (3 years after the first court order in the first case and 5 years after the first court order in the second case).  The report questions whether this delay actually affects the value of the justice served.
Source: Al-Akhbar 16 November 2013