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A rights group Friday blasted local media over recent coverage of the death of a married minor, saying that there was no room for speculation before investigations are finalized. KAFA (enough) Violence and Exploitation accused local outlets of contributing to obscuring the true circumstances behind the death of the girl, who was identified by the state-run National News Agency as N.Aa.T and born in 2003 – meaning she was either 13 or 14 years old. Her body was transferred Thursday night to the Youssef Medical Center in Akkar’s Halba.
NNA had reported that she sustained a bullet from a hunting rifle, and that security forces opened an investigation into the incident, while the victim’s husband Aa.S. was held by authorities for questioning over the incident. The two had been married for five months.
Al-Jadeed reported Friday evening that N.Aa.T was pregnant but had a miscarriage. The news outlet also reported that the girl’s husband was around 10-years older than her.
“The media is circulating news that the married child ... died due to suicide – and that is even before investigations end – knowing that there are there [unknown] circumstances surrounding the incident,” KAFA wrote on Facebook Friday. “Does the media want to contribute to concealing the truth, closing the case and limiting the shedding of light on it by categorizing it as a suicide?”
Lawyer at KAFA Leila Awada expressed her dismay on how the case was being handled by some outlets. Awada maintained that the victim must be presumed killed until investigations proved otherwise.
In a phone call with The Daily Star, the lawyer said that such an approach to cases related to women undermined the gravity of the situation.
“Unfortunately, dealing with cases related to women in such way undermines cases of femicide,” she said, adding that crimes related to minors have been covered up in numerous instances.
Friday’s developments also brought back to the limelight one of civil society’s primary demands, to end child marriage in the country.
Minister of State for Women’s Affairs Jean Ogasapian tweeted Friday that “regardless of the circumstances” behind the girl’s death, “the final say is for the judiciary and what the investigations show.”
“But what is assured is that this girl had a natural right to enjoy the warmth of her family and to continue her studies,” he tweeted, using a hashtag that translates to: “No to child marriage.”
There is currently no uniform national law that stipulates a minimum age of marriage in Lebanon. Rather, the age varies and is based on the personal status laws according to the sect of the individual.
Nevertheless, there have been draft laws presented to Parliament on the issue, including one that was prepared by the Lebanese Women’s Democratic Gathering and put forward by MP Elie Keyrouz. The draft law aims to establish the legal age of marriage in Lebanon at 18-years-old.
An April 2017 report by the Human Rights Watch warned that child marriage leaves permanent consequences. “Girls who marry early are more likely to leave school and are at heightened risk of marital rape, domestic violence, poor access to decent work, exploitation and a range of health problems due to early childbearing,” the report read.
HRW called on Lebanese authorities to prevent child marriage through programs that focus on empowering girls as well as educating the parents and the community about the implications of early marriage.
Awada also explained that the recent death of the young girl prompted action on two levels: pushing for 18 as a national minimum age of marriage and the abolition and amendment of certain articles stipulated by the Lebanese Penal Code, mainly Article 505 and 518, which provide legal justification for child marriage.
Source: The Daily Star
