In this investigation, journalist Saja Mortada documents cases of divorced Lebanese women who lost custody of their children upon rulings by Jaafari courts that ignore the interests of child and mother and refuse to consider the age of the children being fought over.
In an anguished and trembling voice, Sarah*tells of her hardship: “I was forced to abandon my daughter unwillingly.” The baby clothes she holds as she talks, all she has to remember her daughter Zahra now 6 by, end up soaked in tears.
Five years ago, Sarah was forced to submit to her husband’s terms in order to get a divorce – including signing away at the Sidon Ja’afari court legal custody over her 7-month-old baby. It was the only way she could see to escape abuse and domestic violence she suffered at the hands of her husband during three years of marriage.
She felt forced to comply with the Ja’afari court which allowed her to see her baby for only eight hours a week in a small room in the house of her ex-husband’s uncle. She stopped even going that much because “my ex-husband showed up trying to sexually harass and insult me.” He also prevented her from seeing her daughter many times, as documented in a complaint her lawyer filed in 2016.
In an appeal Sarah asked that her visitation time be increased from eight hours to two days a week including an overnight stay. After a year, the court issued a ruling allowing the child to spend one night a week from Saturday till Sunday with her mother. Despite the ruling “I couldn’t see my baby. My ex-husband appealed the last ruling, and I couldn’t afford the court fees and a lawyer because of my poor financial situation.” She wipes away more tears.
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