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Sharia law now optional in Greece for Muslim minorities

23-11-2017

The Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, announced last week that his country will make the application of certain Sharia law provisions optional in family matters for Muslim minorities in the north eastern district of Thrace. A government source said the ministry of education and religious affairs is currently studying and negotiating a draft legislation to this effect to be passed soon. This step comes following the European Court of Human Rights’ criticism and denouncement of the rule of Sharia in some effective provisions in Thrace involving gender inequality and discrimination against women in matters related to inheritance, divorce and child custody, the source added. The proposed reform according to concerned parties, will allow 110,000-strong Muslim minority of Turkish origins as well as Pomaks and Roma gypsies to opt for a civil or sharia court to resolve and regulate marriage, divorce or inheritance disputes. Presently, the Muslim minority is forced to regulate its affairs under Islamic Sharia, in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne, 1923, which marked the borders between Greece and Turkey. (Al Hayat, November 22, 2017)

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