Tony Khalife on Al Jadeed
In late April, 2019, Tony Khalife, host of a TV programme on Al Jadeed, aired the plight of an Ethiopian domestic worker who had run away from her employers and been found on the street by a Lebanese family who took her in and gave her food and water. She had been beaten black and blue and had bruises over her whole body.
The Lebanese described the treatment she’d received as extremely cruel.
The family called the police and she was taken away. A few days later, she turned up at their house again. She said the police had returned her to her employers who had given her a fresh beating for running away.
This time, the employer and his son came to the house at midnight to take her back. The worker implored the family not to release her to them, certain they would beat her up again. The employer admitted his wife had given the worker a ‘couple of smacks’ but that her bruises were self-inflicted, something that was patently untrue due to the location of many of the bruises on the woman’s back.
The family called Tony Khalife for assistance and said that they had received threats and warnings not to go on the programme. Tony did not reveal the identity of the abusive employer, instead referring to him as a member of the security apparatus and a person of influence. He did, however, refer the case to the head of General Security and was hopeful of a positive outcome for the victim. We have been able to discover the abuser’s name. He is Lieutenant Colonel Riad Ezeddine from the village of Bachita, inland from Tyre. He and his abusive wife and son should not enjoy anonymity.