A protester wearing a mask carries a doll with its face painted with the colours of Palestinian national flag during a demonstration against Israel's military action in Gaza, in Tripoli, northern Lebanon
A protester wearing a mask carries a doll with its face painted with the colours of Palestinian national flag during a demonstration against Israel's military action in Gaza, in Tripoli, northern Lebanon July 22, 2014. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim

Australian woman Mahassen Issa is facing adultery charges in Lebanon, and her family wants her to go to jail.

Mahassen's family has apparently "disowned" their girl after she went to meet her partner in the western Asian republic. According to Ahmed, her brother, she was warned about having a relation with the guy in Lebanon since it had not been a year since her separation from her husband. The Sydney woman has asked the Australian government for help as she is charged with adultery on foreign soil.

Ahmed said that his sister did the wrong thing as she did not follow the rules followed in Lebanon. "What she did was wrong. If you travel to any country, you have to adhere to their laws," he said. Before the Lebanese court could punish her, her family did their part by disowning her since she acted against Islam. "It's against our religion and it's against Lebanese law. We, as a family, have disowned her," Ahmed said, "I hope she rots in hell."

The 29-year-old is not allowed to leave Lebanon as her in-laws informed the Lebanese authorities about her "offence" of meeting her boyfriend. According to her husband's family, Mahassen - a mother of two - got what she deserved. She said that she as well as her partner had got threats. "I'm in a huge panic and I have no one to turn to. My family has disowned me. We have been receiving threats, my partner has received threats,'' she said. She was earlier informed over the phone that she, along with her boyfriend, had been charged for adultery and would require contact to the authorities.

According to Mahassen, it was in September 2013 that she got separated from her husband. On the other hand, her husband claims that they were together even in April 2014. The legally married couple has, nevertheless, not initiated a divorce procedure. Mahassen's lawyer said that she might face a six-year jail sentence, if proven guilty. She was expected to appear at a Tripoli court on Thursday, 24 July.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au