Imam charged in Australia over child marriage
The cleric was arrested by the Child Abuse Squad and charged with solemnization of a marriage by an unauthorized person
A Muslim cleric was Tuesday charged in Australia with conducting an illegal marriage between a 26-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl.
It follows the arrest of a Lebanese national -- the "husband" -- last week on child sex offences.
Police said the imam, reportedly Pakistan-born, was arrested in Sydney on Monday afternoon by the Child Abuse Squad and charged with solemnization of a marriage by an unauthorized person.
He was granted strict conditional bail to appear in court on April 2.
Last week police revealed that the Lebanese man, in Australia on a student visa, met a 12-year-old girl in the Hunter region north of Sydney in 2013 and allegedly became involved in a sexual relationship with her.
The pair then allegedly moved to Sydney where they continued the relationship, with police claiming the man and child were married in an Islamic ceremony earlier this year.
While child marriages remain prevalent in parts of the world, in Australia 18 is the minimum age to tie the knot.
The "husband" has been charged with 25 counts of sexual intercourse with a child between 10 and 14 years and remains in custody.
Police have not laid charges against the parents of the girl, but investigations are continuing, police said.
Also Read
-
Yemen human rights minister wants child marriage ban
Yemen's human rights minister said Saturday she would work to relaunch a bill fixing the minimum marriage age at 17, after the reported death of a ... Middle East -
Saudi rights group identifies father in child abuse video
The nearly 3-minute-long clip shows a man violently flogging five children Middle East -
Syrian child refugees face exploitation, UNICEF says
Child refugees who have fled Syria's civil war are vulnerable to exploitation including early marriage, domestic violence and child labor, despite ... Middle East
