REPORT: Civil marriage patron Kholoud announces she is pregnant

Four months have passed since Kholoud Sukkariyah and Nidal Darwish tied the civil knot, however their official papers are still 'collecting dust' as the legal debate continues.         

Yet, with Kholoud now announcing that she is two-month pregnant, the stalling in this case can no longer last, since the Interior Minister will have to complete the registration of the couple’s civil marriage.         

Activists in support of legalizing civil marriage in Lebanon have been calling for demonstrations over the controversial subject in light of Nidal and Kholoud's civil union a couple of month back.             

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.           

Religious authorities are split on the issue, officially recognizing 18 different sects in the country.             

The hardest opposition to civil marriage has 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 weddings.               

In this light, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he believes that “now is not the right time” for the issue to be discussed, referring to the tumultuous incidents overtaking the country and the upcoming parliamentary elections.             

Most Sunni and Shiite preachers have taken firm stances against the issue leaving Christian spiritual figures with a far greater willingness to consider civil unions outside religious institutions.               

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

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri also voiced support for civil weddings and criticized the grand mufti over his stances on the subject.


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