Aussie woman in Lebanon faces jail for adultery
Family of Sydney mum charged with adultery in Lebanon says she deserves jail time
THE brother of a Sydney mother facing jail time in Lebanon over adultery charges says her family has “disowned her” and hopes she is sent to prison.
Mahassen Issa is pleading for help from the Australian government after she was charged with adultery during a short holiday to see her new partner in Lebanon.
Her brother, Ahmed, said he had warned his sister about pursuing the relationship because she had not been separated from her husband for 12 months.
“What she did was wrong. If you travel to any country, you have to adhere to their laws,” Ahmed said.
Mahassen Issa, an Australian woman who is accused of adultery in Lebanon. She has pleaded
Mahassen Issa, an Australian woman who is accused of adultery in Lebanon. She has pleaded for help to stop her from being sent to jail. Source: Supplied
“It’s against our religion and it’s against Lebanese law. We, as a family, have disowned her.
“I hope she rots in hell.”
Ms Issa’s lawyer said last night she would face court in Tripoli, Lebanon, today and could face six months jail if convicted.
Her husband’s family in Sydney has welcomed her being charged and wants the mother of two children, aged six and nine, to be jailed.
Ms Issa, 29, travelled to Tripoli on June 20 to see her new boyfriend after recently separating from her husband.
She was about to return home on the weekend when she claimed she was contacted by Lebanese police informing her she had been charged with adultery.
“We got a phone call stating my partner and I have both been charged and that we need to go and see the police,” Ms Issa said.
“My passport has been alerted to all the authorities and that I’m not allowed to exit the country. “I will be facing the charges tomorrow at court.” A distraught Ms Issa yesterday said she believed the allegations were made to prevent her from returning to Sydney, where she was born, to live with her children.
“The thought of not seeing my children again and my whole family disowning me, it’s too much,” she said.
A relative of Ms Issa’s husband said he raised the court order for adultery charges in Lebanon because the couple were still married in Australia: “His family and her family are very happy that she’s getting charged and she’s getting what she deserves.
“We raised the court case and he’s going ahead with it.”
Ms Issa claimed the pair separated in September but her former husband said they separated in April.
Family of Sydney mum charged with adultery in Lebanon says she deserves jail time | News.com.au
