Judiciary to Shut Down 13 Brothels in Maameltein, Keserwan

The judiciary has ordered the closure of 13 brothels involved in human and sex trafficking, media reports said on Monday.

“The relevant judicial authorities have issued writs against 13 bars, nightclubs and cabarets in Maameltein and Keserwan's coast after it turned out that they are involved in human and sex trafficking and violence” against women, LBCI television reported.

“Under these judicial writs, security forces have the right to shut down these places and seal their doors with red wax, and to arrest those operating them,” the TV network said.

“The women who work at these places would be referred to specialized organizations that would rehabilitate them and help them return to normal life,” LBCI added.

Al-Jadeed television meanwhile said that “Mount Lebanon Examining Magistrate Peter Germanos has issued a judicial writ ordering all security agencies to shut down 13 cabarets over several reasons, most notably the absence of medical checks for sex workers and the spread of AIDS among them.”

The development comes less than two weeks after security forces busted Lebanon's largest known sex trafficking ring and freed 75 mainly Syrian women.

A doctor who was arrested in the operation has confessed to carrying out “nearly 200 abortions,” according to the Internal Security Forces.

Ten male culprits, eight female workers and a nurse who worked for the traffickers were also arrested in the raids.

Even before the Syrian conflict erupted in 2011, Syrian women had been pushed into the illicit sex trade in neighboring Lebanon.

"However, as with any war, conflict has made Syrian women and children even more vulnerable," a security source has said.

The ISF said the freed women had suffered “beating and psychological and physical torture” and were “forced to work in prostitution under the threat of having their naked pictures distributed, and other tactics.”

Y.R.