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Last update - 11:17 01/06/2008
French court annuls Muslim's marriage because wife not a virgin
By Reuters
Tags: Marriage, France, Muslim 

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Concerns about traditional Muslim views creeping into secular French law hung over the debate, but the strictly legal basis of the verdict forced critics to ask how two principles - contract fraud and sexual equality - could be reconciled.

"It is profoundly shocking that, in our country, a marriage can be annulled on the basis of non-virginity before the marriage," Frederic Lefebvre, spokesman for President Nicolas Sarkozy's governing UMP party, said in a statement.

Prominent feminist Elisabeth Badinter said the courts should defend Muslim women, not pressure them. "The end result will be that some Muslim girls will rush to hospitals to have their hymens sewn back together again," she told France Inter radio.

Muslims make up about eight percent of the population in France, which has vigorously defended its secular system against their occasional religious demands by banning Islamic headscarves in the civil service and in state schools.



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      1.   It can`t be legal! 11:41  |  TW 01/06/08
      2.   Was virginity part of a French CIVIL contract?Aux armes citoyens 12:15  |  PETER SM 01/06/08
      3.   Now I understand why Muslims blow themselves up... They 12:34  |  a 01/06/08
      4.   Was the husband a virgin too? 12:53  |  x-ray 01/06/08
      5.   Stop desinformation please 14:01  |  Jean-Paul DOGUET 01/06/08
      6.   "The Essential Quality" in the French Law means 14:18  |  AliciaYasmeen 01/06/08
      7.   # 5 Jean Paul of Paris....see how it works 14:18  |  Lynn 01/06/08
      8.   to Jean Paul DOGUET 14:25  |  Cecilia 01/06/08
      9.   to #5 14:43  |  Jacques from Paris 01/06/08
      10.   Reply to Cecilia 15:00  |  Jean-Paul DOGUET 01/06/08
      11.   What has this civil case got to do with Israel? 15:09  |  Paul Wood 01/06/08
      12.   JEAN PAUL You must really hate France 2. & Al Dura 15:15  |  PETER SM 01/06/08
      13.   What an excellent way to cut down on the high Muslim birthrate! 15:18  |  Ian Robertson 01/06/08
      14.   to Jean Paul DOGUET 15:31  |  Cecilia 01/06/08
      15.   Virginity as such not the legal issue 15:44  |  Douglas Evans 01/06/08
      16.   to jean paul 16:26  |  victor 01/06/08
      17.   To Jean-Paul 16:32  |  John 01/06/08
      18.   To Paul Wood 16:33  |  John 01/06/08
      19.   GOOD MOVE BY FRENCH 16:51  |  Robert 01/06/08
      20.   "JOHN" the clog is on the other foot for once.Instant outrage 16:53  |  PETER SM 01/06/08
      21.   Vive la République arabe de France! 17:21  |  Paul Henzen 01/06/08
      22.   Paul Wood 18:05  |  glial 01/06/08
      23.   creeping sharia 18:36  |  bob 01/06/08
      24.   Wrong tittle, Wrong treatment of info 18:41  |  ced 01/06/08
      25.   Good for HER, better than the alternative 19:03  |  fadi 01/06/08
      26.   there are many stupid people here 19:52  |  KAM 01/06/08
      27.   Is there a higher court? 20:16  |  Akiva 01/06/08
      28.   The sad side, this story shows about Moslem marriages 20:19  |  AliciaYasmeen 01/06/08
      29.   Sharia law in France! 20:22  |  Avram 01/06/08
      30.   Jean-Paul: the distortion is all yours 20:24  |  Jo 01/06/08
      31.   To Jean-Paul 21:11  |  Judith 01/06/08
      32.   How long will it take for Islamic law to be applied in Europe...? 21:18  |  Robert 01/06/08
      33.   Paul Wood 21:44  |  Mz. Egalite 01/06/08
      34.   This isn`t about being a virgin or not. Its about a LIE 21:55  |  Jamal 01/06/08
      35.   This cuckold deserves 70 virgins ! 22:23  |  Nattalee Durson 01/06/08
      36.   #34 Jamal: the other way round 22:43  |  AliciaYasmeen 01/06/08
      37.   Paul Wood: what has this to do with Israel? 22:47  |  Ehud 01/06/08
      38.   to #36 AliciaYasmeen 23:20  |  in the know 01/06/08
      39.   Funny how concerned how many are that others... 23:59  |  Colin Wright 01/06/08
      40.   to Judith 23:59  |  Jean-Paul DOGUET 01/06/08
      41.   Has any one seen the irony of the juxtaposed ad? 00:00  |  Jeroen de Jager 02/06/08
      42.   re #23 `creeping sharia` 00:04  |  Colin Wright 02/06/08
      43.   What does this case have to do with Paul Wood? 00:12  |  Realist 02/06/08
      44.   #36: AliciaYasmeen, still not the isue 00:45  |  Jamal 02/06/08
      45.   Ok, fine and dundy,but... 00:53  |  BenAssulin 02/06/08
      46.   FALSE 01:21  |  Bob 02/06/08
      47.   How come the bride`s family haven`t killed her yet? 02:34  |  J Donald 02/06/08
      48.   I wouldn`t be selling her life insurance 03:09  |  J Donald 02/06/08
      49.   Er... By the way: How could he tell??? 03:14  |  J Donald 02/06/08
      50.   Anybody here who states spouses don`t lie is either single .. 03:19  |  J Donald 02/06/08
      51.   French court ??? Shocking !!! 05:20  |  I know why 02/06/08
      52.   The true story behind it 05:30  |  Shocking!!! 02/06/08
      53.   THIS IS THE TYPE OF THINGS ISRAEL HAS TO DEAL WITH 05:35  |  YAIIII 02/06/08
      54.   Poor girl 05:53  |  Aziz 02/06/08
      55.   What a miserable law! 06:02  |  SAC 02/06/08
      56.   Shame on the French Court 06:17  |  george 02/06/08
      57.   to Jean Paul DOGUET 09:15  |  Cecilia 02/06/08
      58.   Perhaps she was verging on virgin... 12:44  |  Michael J 02/06/08
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