Youth from 14th of March demonstrate in support of optional civil marriage in Lebanon

The Youth Group of the Progressive Socialist Party and the Justice Commissioner of that party organized yesterday a symbolic sit-in at the Samir Kassir plaza in support of optional civil marriage in Lebanon. Youth groups from the National Liberal Party, Kataeb, Democratic Renewal Movement, and other party and civil activists also joined in.  During the sit-in, the PSP's Justice Commissioner, Nashat Hosseiniyeh, read the statement on behalf of the protesters in which he condemned the failure to process civil marriages contracted in Lebanon thus undermining the achievements so far namely the fact that the state has recognized civil marriages contracted in Lebanon and authorized their registration.  Hassnyeh insisted on the need to abide by the decisions of the legislative council of the Ministry of Justice and which authorized the registration of civil marriages contracted in Lebanon and thus complete all the necessary paperwork.  He also asked Parliament to approve the project lay on optional civil family code which will liberate many Lebanese from the imposed confessional constraints.  Hassnyeh concluded by noting that any failure to complete such procedure is a professional infarction which should be penalized by the law.

(Source: Annahar & Al-Mustaqbal 30 January, 2015)