Qortbawi: Nidal and Khouloud's civil marriage contract is legal

Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi held a press conference on Friday in which he tackled the legalization of civil marriage contracts in Lebanon, the issue of the Military judiciary, the file of the forcibly disappeared persons in Syria and the formation of an electoral supervisory commission for the 2013 parliamentary elections.

On civil marriage, Qortbawi said the Supreme Council’s advisory body decided that Lebanese citizens who have deleted mention of their sect from the identification papers can sign a civil marriage contract in Lebanon according to article 60 LR of the constitution, stressing that the marriage of Nidal Darwiche and Kholoud Succariyeh is legal.

Qortbawi urged Interior Minister Marwan Charbel to proceed with the decision of the advisory body.

Nidal and Kholoud had deleted mention of their religious identity from their civil registration document in hopes of making their union official awaiting the Interior Ministry’s formal recognition of their marriage document.

On Monday February 11th, the Supreme Council’s advisory body issued a decision that stipulated the following:

1- Each Lebanese citizen that has omitted his religious affiliation from his civil status can sign a civil marriage contract in Lebanon

2- The notary is the competent authority to conclude the contract and approve it

3- The couple have the free will to choose any civil marriage law of any country according to which they can regulate their marital affairs

4- There is no legal hindrance to register the contract of Kholoud Succariyeh and Nidal Darwiche in the personal status records