Transgender victim speaks out on being sexually abused by Lebanese officials

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image“I was standing outside the nightclub with my friends when I was ordered by [municipality] police to get into the car, with no legal order” one of the transgender revelers harassed Saturday night at Dekwaneh club Ghost said, on condition of anonymity. She said she was taken into a room where she was abused both verbally and sexually by municipality head Antoine Chakhtoura’s deputies.

“They hit me and pushed me around and insulted me by using derogatory terms like ‘faggot’ and ‘half-a-man,’ then they asked demeaning questions such as how much do I make per hour and whether I enjoy ‘sucking on it,’ then asked me to strip naked and then took photographs of me.”

Lebanese activists and experts believe Chakhtoura’s actions have set a dangerous precedent whereby the Lebanese official can apply his own conception of justice as Lebanese law.

Among those who were arrested late night Saturday were three gay men and a transgender person. Each were forced to undress in front of Chakhtoura’s policemen, under his order, so they could determine their gender.

Following Saturday’s events, in an interview with the Lebanese television station LBC, Chakhtoura admitted that the detained were undressed, saying “Of course we made them take off their clothes, we saw a scandalous situation and we had to know what these people were. Is it a woman or a man? It turned out to be a half-woman and half-man and I do not accept this in my Dekwaneh.”

In an interview with NOW, Chakhtoura defended his actions saying “It is not my business what gender they decide to be, but they were violating moral codes of conduct and were taking drugs and it is my duty to put an end to it.”

However, the transgender person emphasized that she had no drugs in her possession and has asked the forces to give her a blood test to check for the viability of the accusations. Her requests have gone unanswered.

As for the sealing of the night club, Chakhtoura stressed to NOW that he believes it endorses sexual activities inside and outside its premises, and promoted the trafficking of drugs and “drunken” behavior. He also claims that his actions are justified by Article 74 in the municipal law code.

Ghost nightclub’s management has condemned the municipality’s accusation, stressing to NOW that the accusations against them are false and that the raid had no prior warning.

The manager, who also preferred to remain anonymous, explained that Chakhtoura came to the location and accused him of drug trafficking and prostitution, and when he was given the freedom to look into his accusations Chakhtoura replied “No, I don’t want to check, I want this place to be shut down.”

“I refused to close down,” then he walked out saying “but you have gay men in here.” Soon after, twelve of Chakhtoura’s policemen entered the nightclub, bullied customers out, and turned the music off. As of Monday afternoon, Ghost nightclub was sealed by order of the municipality, a note visible on its door with the names of the 4 persons who had been detained.

Lawyer and human rights activist Nizar Saghieh explained that the head of the municipality, in his actions, surpassed the relevant legal institutions and should thus be held legally accountable.

“By law, he is only allowed to gather the information needed and file a complaint to the public prosecution office. He has no right to take the decision on his own. His raid is illegal,” stressed Saghieh.

Until now, the club’s management has not filed a law suit against Chakhtoura and is waiting for the prosecution office to issue its own order, because they strongly believe Chakhtoura’s case is personal.

“Clearly, he has personal issues with homosexual men because this is not the first time these harassments take place, his men have been detaining passersby for over 6 months now,” the manager added.

Charbel Maydaa, the director of Helem, an NGO whose mission is to defend gay rights, confirmed the above allegations and explained that the organization has been monitoring the nightclub since they learned of the recurrent harassment and abuse of gay men and transgender people. Maydaa told NOW that customers near the nightclub are frequently exposed to abuse because of their appearance, and that Sunday’s victims were taken to the police municipality in the trunks of police cars.

Saghieh added that the municipal police’s detainment of customers is also illegal and should be looked into urgently because it is a clear violation of the constitution.

“They have no right to question subjects in any case; it is the judicial police jurisdiction and that is, if there was a crime at hand, but there isn’t one, transsexuality is not a crime, there is no legal finding to support it anywhere.”

Saghieh emphasized that if the subjects decide not to pursue a case, then it is the lebanese civil society’s duty to address the issue as quickly as possible.

“This is a crime and Chakhtoura admitted to it publicly. Lebanese civil society should file a complaint against him at the public prosecution office.”

“This is very dangerous. He is forcing his own values, considering anything against them a crime, then punishing the wrong-doers. This should not be accepted,” said Saghieh.

Now Lebanon

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Comments

22 responses to “Transgender victim speaks out on being sexually abused by Lebanese officials”

  1. MekensehParty Avatar
    MekensehParty

    What a beautiful country… and dekwaneh a pearl…
    This guy chakhtoura, a vibrant voice of modernism, reminds me of another great figure of our times, my buddy ahmadinejad, another great theorist on homosexuality
    keep up the good work mr. mayor of $#!T town
    the country is sinking to newer lows every day

  2. MekensehParty Avatar
    MekensehParty

    What a beautiful country… and dekwaneh a pearl…
    This guy chakhtoura, a vibrant voice of modernism, reminds me of another great figure of our times, my buddy ahmadinejad, another great theorist on homosexuality
    keep up the good work mr. mayor of $#!T town
    the country is sinking to newer lows every day

  3. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    A ‘Precedent’??? Why do you think young girls walk in groups of 5 or more … and NO Woman wants to talk to a policeman, let alone go to a station? or be questioned …. ???
    The women know ….

  4. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    A ‘Precedent’??? Why do you think young girls walk in groups of 5 or more … and NO Woman wants to talk to a policeman, let alone go to a station? or be questioned …. ???
    The women know ….

  5. Hannibal Avatar

    Officials will abuse a goat tied up to a tree… No wonder.

  6. Hannibal Avatar

    Officials will abuse a goat tied up to a tree… No wonder.

  7. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Criminals, thieves, nurderers, kidnappers, traitors, children molestors and rapers are running free in the country while the police force is concentrating its efforts on who is fxxxing who and who is wearing what and putting them in jail.
    We have not reached yet the concept of respecting the freedom and individuality of the other adult person to live his/her life the way they want to live it. People in Lebanon should live their lives at the standards of the society, anything different will be humiliated, jailed, hit, abused (including sexuallly) and publicized. But times are changing sloooooowly….

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      You think .. another millennia? 😉

  8. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    Criminals, thieves, nurderers, kidnappers, traitors, children molestors and rapers are running free in the country while the police force is concentrating its efforts on who is fxxxing who and who is wearing what and putting them in jail.
    We have not reached yet the concept of respecting the freedom and individuality of the other adult person to live his/her life the way they want to live it. People in Lebanon should live their lives at the standards of the society, anything different will be humiliated, jailed, hit, abused (including sexuallly) and publicized. But times are changing sloooooowly….

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      You think .. another millennia? 😉

  9. discrace to have this gay trany filth on lebanons streets maybe u need islamic hardcore sharia instead,

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      And YOU need a heavy Scotch …

    2. kamille1 Avatar

      what the hell are you talking about?? prostitutes and sex are everywhere in lebanon..i’ll get you the best women in lebanon in the heart of salafi land in tripoli anytime you want to..keep your damn laws to yourself and i’ll do the same..

  10. discrace to have this gay trany filth on lebanons streets maybe u need islamic hardcore sharia instead,

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      And YOU need a heavy Scotch …

    2. kamille1 Avatar

      what the hell are you talking about?? prostitutes and sex are everywhere in lebanon..i’ll get you the best women in lebanon in the heart of salafi land in tripoli anytime you want to..keep your damn laws to yourself and i’ll do the same..

  11. FadiAbboud Avatar
    FadiAbboud

    I am ashamed to associate myself with the country of Lebanon when I read stories that make Lebanon seem as backwards and barbaric as the rest of the middle east…. We are supposed to be a beacon of individual freedoms and liberties for all people

  12. FadiAbboud Avatar
    FadiAbboud

    I am ashamed to associate myself with the country of Lebanon when I read stories that make Lebanon seem as backwards and barbaric as the rest of the middle east…. We are supposed to be a beacon of individual freedoms and liberties for all people

  13. Yeah, I think the mayor got off on it.

  14. Yeah, I think the mayor got off on it.

  15. Well strange article.But what i don’t understand is that,why such guys which counts about hundreds at that club that night when the police came for an arrest, they didn’t fight and defend for their rights as a gays all together in one heart at the place of arresting. Well someone explain that to me please.but i think that these gays guys are or they are cowards or they already knew themselves that to be gay is wrong. So guys,if you think gays is right than fight for your freedom not under the table but make it loudly at your home,work,etc. And if gays is wrong so stop being gay is better. But do something for youself and not always running as cowards. Oh i pitty for you guys.don’t be cowards anymore.

  16. Well strange article.But what i don’t understand is that,why such guys which counts about hundreds at that club that night when the police came for an arrest, they didn’t fight and defend for their rights as a gays all together in one heart at the place of arresting. Well someone explain that to me please.but i think that these gays guys are or they are cowards or they already knew themselves that to be gay is wrong. So guys,if you think gays is right than fight for your freedom not under the table but make it loudly at your home,work,etc. And if gays is wrong so stop being gay is better. But do something for youself and not always running as cowards. Oh i pitty for you guys.don’t be cowards anymore.

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