Maltreated maid in Lebanon TV scandal kills herself
Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:15pm GMT
* Video of maid being abused sparked outrage
* Domestic worker hanged herself on Wednesday morning
By Oliver Holmes
BEIRUT, March 14 (Reuters) - An Ethiopian housemaid in Lebanon committed
suicide on Wednesday, Ethiopia's consul general said, a week after video
footage of her being dragged along the streets by a man and forced into a
car sparked national outrage.
"I went to the hospital today and they said that she hanged herself at 6
o'clock this morning," Asaminew Debelie Bonssa told Reuters, adding that the
maid, Alem Dechasa, had been taken to hospital in order to recover from her
forcible abduction.
"I am deeply shocked. I went to see her yesterday and I was told that she
was ok," said Bonssa.
Last week, Lebanese television channel LBCI sparked nationwide indignation
after broadcasting footage of a man violently dragging Dechasa along a
street in Beirut and screaming at her to "get into the car".
Another man was then seen helping to force Dechasa into the back of the car
while she squirmed and screamed "no, no, no."
On Friday, the Lebanese Cabinet condemned the violent incident and asked for
an investigation into the matter.
After the video was aired, LBCI used the car's number plate number to
identify one of the men.
Outraged by the video, activists in Lebanon posted the man's contact
information on internet social media sites and called for action against
him.
Reports of domestic worker abuse are rife in this small Mediterranean state.
The hospital was not immediately available for comment. (Editing by Andrew
Osborn)
C Thomson Reuters 2012 All rights reserved
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Received on Wed Mar 14 2012 - 21:25:07 EDT
