Lebanese march against domestic violence in rare non-partisan protest

(Reuters) - A few thousand protesters took to the streets of Beirut on Saturday to demand that politicians approve Lebanon's first law against domestic violence in a non-partisan display rarely seen in Lebanon's highly politicized climate.

Organizers harnessed popular outrage over the deaths of two Lebanese women in suspected domestic violence cases which struck a nerve in a country where regular car bombs and rocket attacks have desensitized many to violence.

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Many Lebanese took to social media following the deaths last month of Manal Assi and Cristelle Abou Chakra to condemn a seven-month delay in passing the domestic violence law, held up by political disagreements and backlog of bills linked to the Syrian civil war.

"How many wives must die assaulted by their husbands before the state passes the law to protect women?" said one tweet.

The deaths of Assi, bludgeoned with a pressure cooker, and Chakra, who was reportedly poisoned with chemicals, amplified public outrage in Lebanon.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/08/us-lebanon-protest-women-idUSBREA270LS20140308