A man who heard a Tribunal dislocated his first wife’s finger and repeatedly hit his second wife with a garden hose. At the same time she was pregnant, and his bid for Australian citizenship was rejected.
The tribunal on Friday confirmed the Home Secretary’s decision in 2019 to deny citizenship to Queensland’s Khodr Nazem Saadie because he was not of good character.
Mr. Saadie applied to become a citizen in 2016. Still, a national police check revealed his history of domestic violence against his first and second wives, which he did not disclose in his application.
The Lebanese citizen arrived in Australia in 2001 on a prospective marriage visa and was later granted permanent residence with a partner visa.
The Administrative Tribunal was told that he bit his first wife and, in another incident, grabbed his wife’s wrists, twisted her hands, and dislocated her middle finger.
Saadie told a police officer that he had remarked to her, “What have you been doing all day? I’m coming home from work; I want something to eat.”
She was taken to the hospital and had her rings cut off to reposition her finger.
According to the verdict, Mr. Saadie was not charged with assault and was treated with bail for violating an AVO for that incident, with no conviction recorded.
Camera icon A man who was violent towards his first and second wives had his citizenship offer turned down. Credit: News Regional Media
He also hit his second wife with a garden hose two days in a row while she was six months pregnant after questioning her about $25 in the house, which she said she had spent on food and groceries. He was later convicted of assault that involved actual bodily harm.
In 2011, Mr. Saadie was also convicted of resisting police and violating a restrained warrant for violence after threatening to kill his second wife and taking a cell phone and home telephone from her hands when she tried to call the police.
AAT Deputy Chair Dr. Peter McDermott said the serious domestic violence crimes against his two wives, which led to both being taken to hospital, could not be excused based on “spontaneous reactions”.
“The number of violent crimes committed by the applicant greatly detracts from a positive assessment of his character, given the risk of endangering the public by this behavior,” he said in his decision on Friday.
“Some of the petitioner’s actions in committing domestic violence were intentional, as the petitioner assaulted his second wife, who was six months pregnant, with a snake on two consecutive days, leaving large bruises and marks on her back.”
Camera icon The man also did not disclose his domestic violence violation in his citizenship application. Credit: News Regional Media
dr. McDermott said he was not satisfied that Mr. Saadie was taking responsibility for his actions.
His extensive history of speeding and failing to state in his citizenship application that he had been convicted of criminal offenses also showed that he was not of good character.
“I think that the applicant is not of good character as he has not behaved in a manner consistent with the values of our society during his stay in Australia,” said Dr. McDermott.
“This tribunal has clearly and consistently emphasized that domestic violence is contrary to the values of Australian society.”
It was also concerning that he had not taken steps to accept responsibility for his actions by engaging in rehabilitation, added Dr. McDermott to it.
“I feel he has no insight into his abusive behavior because when asked why his citizenship application was denied, he simply stated that ‘something happened,'” he said.
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