Ministry of Justice's higher advisory body renews support to civil marriage

         
The Ministry of Justice's higher advisory body responded on Wednesday to the legal questions raised by the Interior Ministry by renewing its support to civil marriage in Lebanon, noting that the Caretaker Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi will submit this file to the Ministry.        

It is noteworthy that the Supreme Council took on February a decision to legalize all civil marriage contracts signed by people who have deleted mention of their religious identity on identification papers, sparking controversy among religious authorities.          

Nidal and Kholoud Darwiche 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.         

The hardest opposition to civil marriage had come from the country’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rachid Qabbani, with the Sunni preacher issuing an edict, or fatwa, on the matter warning Muslim politicians and ministers not to support introducing civil unions.          

This as, President Michel Sleiman voiced his support for its adoption, saying the Constitution guarantees it as a civil right.