Sharia Law in Greece...

Right in the heart of Europe...

One day before International Women's Day, human rights group ROMEA reports on the extensive violation of the rights of Muslim Roma women in Thrace who are living under Sharia law within the country of Greece. Greece is a presidential parliamentary republic similar to the governmental structure in many Western countries. The Greek constitution grants extensive specific guarantees of civil liberties to its citizens.

Why then are 13- and 14-year-old child brides being sold for 3,000 euros within the Greek Muslim community?

It looks like the Greek government is basing its decision on "cultural sensitivity".

ROMEA reports that on February 16, 2007, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Spokesperson George Koumoutsakos said that the acceptance of sharia is "an indication of a sensitivity of the Greek state to certain social realities of Muslim Greek citizens". According to a 2003 article from EU Business Greek Muslim Women Want Education First, Sharia Abolition Later, Islamic Sharia law is practiced in a 100,000-strong Muslim minority in Thrace in northeastern Greece. Thrace's three state-appointed muftis have the power to pass judgment on family issues in the traditional-minded minority, according to the Koran, Islam's holy book.

Some of the laws of Sharia regarding women are:

Daughters inherit a third of the fortune, boys two thirds. To get a divorce, a man just has to say three times he repudiates his wife. He then also automatically wins custody over the children when she remarries. A woman counts as half a man in giving evidence in a court of law. The wife must have sex whenever the husband wishes. Polygamy with up to four wives is permitted. Married men are allowed to have sex with their female concubines or slaves. In several Islamic countries a Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a non-Muslim man. However, Muslim men are allowed to marry non-Muslim women. Per Sharia, to protect morality and prevent sexual anarchy, women must cover their whole bodies, including their faces. Sharia opposes freedom of dress for women.

Sharia stipulates that the legal age of marriage varies from country to country, ranging from 9 in Iran to 13, 15 or 17 (in Tunisia). This is in keeping with the example of the Prophet Mohammed. He was married to Aisha, a 9-year-old girl, when he was 53. This must make it lawful then for 13-year old girls to be sold as brides for 3,000 euro under Sharia in Thrace.