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Front page Neue Zürcher Zeitung
nadja wohlleben
Oct 23, 2019
When I first met Kholoud Sukkarieh and Nidal Darwishe in 2013, I was impressed by their courage: they had started a silent constitutional revolution in Lebanon, fighting for their right to have a civil marriage in their home country approved.
Like most Arab states, Lebanon does not have civil laws for matters of personal status like marriage, divorce, inheritance, child custody etc. The French introduced Lebanon’s civil laws during their mandate in the 1920s. Yet 18 officially recognised sects reign over matters of personal affairs, forming the biggest religious diversity in the Middle East. Couples who wanted to get married civilly had to do so abroad, with many opting for nearby Cyprus. Kholoud and Nidal, supported by lawyers and activists, fought to change that - and for a while it seemed like they had succeeded.
Unfortunately, due to death threats, Kholoud and Nidal had to flee into exile in Sweden. I wish the brave couple and their two kids all the best in the world. â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸
Read the whole article here:
Wo die Liebe zur Lüge zwingt - ein Paar kämpft um Gleichberechtigung in Libanon | NZZ
Eine zivile Heirat ist in Libanon legal, aber sie wird durch die Macht der Religionsgruppen verunmöglicht. Ein muslimisches Pärchen, das sich über die gesellschaftlichen Normen hinwegsetzte, floh unter Todesdrohungen nach Europa.
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