Tunisian court okays marriage of pregnant 13-year-old
TUNIS, Tunisia (AFP) — A Tunisian court has approved the marriage of a 13-year-old girl to a relative who made her pregnant, an official said yesterday.
The judgement triggered anger from non-governmental organisations which said the girl had been raped.
The girl, from the north-western region of Kef, had a sexual relationship with the brother of her brother-in-law.
She was 13 years and 11 months old and “was not raped”, said Chokri Mejri, the court official.
“We interviewed the girl and after verifying all the details, we considered her fit for marriage. As proof, she is pregnant,” he said.
Under Tunisian law, sex with a girl under 15 without the use of force is punishable by six years in prison, but the culprit can halt proceedings by marrying the victim.
“The two families demanded marriage to avoid a scandal,” Mejri said.
The court gave its green light on December 1 and the marriage agreement was signed on December 5, he said.
