Government backs Mufti’s call for foreign marriage ban

By Reem Tombokti.

Tripoli, 14 April 2013:

The Ministry of Social Affairs has endorsed a fatwa from the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Sadeq Al-Ghariani, . . .[restrict]that prohibits Libyan women from marrying foreigners.

An official at the Ministry of Social Affairs told the Libya Herald today, Sunday, that the government has temporarily suspended issuing foreign marriage licenses for Libyan women until proper laws and regulations are in place.

The final decision on the Mufti’s ruling had been passed to the government by the Supreme Court.

Al-Ghariani’s call came after he apparently received several complaints from Libyan citizens. These, he said, included allegations that some Christian, Shiites and Druze from different countries have been taking advantage of the chaotic state of the country’s administration to marry Libyan women and make them convert to different religions.

There has been much criticism of the Fatwa on social media websites, in particular from Libyan human rights activists and women’s rights groups. [/restrict]