Iran presidential advisor defends polygamy as “divine law”
Washington, 12 August (IranVNC)—Iran’s presidential advisor for women’s affairs, Ms. Zohreh Tabibzadeh-Nuri, has described polygamy as a “divine law” and criticized institutions and individuals who have opposed a new family protection bill, which facilitates plural marriages.
By: IranVNC
Published: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
23:44GMT—7:44PM/EST
IRAN – WOMEN – FAMILY – LAW
Washington, 12 August (IranVNC)—Iran’s presidential advisor for women’s affairs, Ms. Zohreh Tabibzadeh-Nuri, has described polygamy as a “divine law” and criticized institutions and individuals who have opposed a new family protection bill, which facilitates plural marriages.
Speaking in an interview with the official IRNA news agency, Tabibzadeh-Nuri, who is also the head of the Center for Women’s and Family Affairs, defended the bill, saying: “Plural marriage is a divine law and no one can oppose it.”
Article 23 of the new Family Protection Law, which is currently under review in the Majlis [parliament], eliminates the condition for multiple wives, which required the consent of a man’s first wife or wives. Under Iranian law, a man may take up to four “permanent” wives and as many “temporary” wives as he desires.
Eliminating the condition of the consent of the first wife or wives from the Family Protection Law has sparked much criticism throughout Iran, and a number of women’s rights organizations on Monday, in an invitation published on the women’s rights website, “Change for Equality”, called on those opposed to polygamy to form a large-scale coalition to prevent the ratification of the bill.
Sources: IRNA, Change for Equality website
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(Original article written in Persian.)