“Greece’s Muslim minority will be able to resolve family disputes before Greek courts rather than under Islamic sharia law after the parliament on Tuesday changed a century-old legacy.”
That is a great step forward for the principle of the equality of rights of all people in Greece.
“‘Historic step’: Greek PM hails change to limit power of sharia law,” Agence France-Presse, January 9, 2018:
Greece’s Muslim minority will be able to resolve family disputes before Greek courts rather than under Islamic sharia law after the parliament on Tuesday changed a century-old legacy.
The prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, immediately called the vote an “historic step” as it “extended equality before the law to all Greeks”.
The legislation will allow Muslim litigants to go before a Greek court for divorce, child custody and inheritance matters, rather than appealing to Islamic jurists known as muftis – a system that rights groups say frequently discriminates against women.
The issue has its origins in the period after the first world war, and treaties between Greece and Turkey that followed the collapse of the Ottoman empire.
The 1920 treaty of Sevres and the 1923 treaty of Lausanne stipulated that Islamic customs and Islamic religious law would apply to thousands of Muslims who suddenly became Greek citizens.
Greece’s roughly 110,000-strong Muslim minority mainly lives in Thrace, a poor, rural region in the north-east bordering Turkey.
The parliament’s move comes as the European Court of Human Rights is expected to rule this year on a complaint brought against Greece by a 67-year-old widow, Hatijah Molla Salli, who is locked in an inheritance dispute with her late husband’s sisters.
When Salli appealed to Greek secular justice, she initially won her case. But the Greek supreme court in 2013 ruled that only a mufti had the power to resolve Muslim inheritance rights….
At the time, Tsipras said: “As a European Union nation, this does not bestow honour upon us.”…
Athens admits that the Islam preached by the Thrace muftis is generally more moderate than the teachings of more hardline imams elsewhere in Europe.
At least Athens hopes that is true.
Jenny says
This is what we are after. It doesn’t mean that they will not go underground, but the government has made a stand.
J D S says
WHY WOULD Greece have anything on the books that would allow sharia in the first place to have had to change the law.
Any western country, repeat, any western country, that allows ANY form of sharia law is destined to become Muslim controlled.
Janice Disher says
J D S – Agree completely
DDMisra says
Greece has a sizable Muslim population for a long time. They practiced their religion, including settling of economics despite according to Shariat law, without disturbing non-Muslims.
Now with the influx of ISIS members into Europe things have changed.
DDMisra says
Sorry for an error. Please read “economics despite” as “economic and marital disputes among themselves”
Andy says
Common sense, wise leadership is needed for any country.
Liberal Admits: Poland and Hungary Greatest Threat to EU Globalists!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV5oGkU-1to
Andy says
Report: Rightwing Populism Becoming the New Normal!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fH7faniIrM
StellaSaidSo says
Good work, Greece. Sharia has no place in civilised society. (Are you listening, Theresa May?)
DFD says
On behalf of Theresa: “No!”
Linde Barrera says
Hooray for the Greek Parliament! So proud of them for this ruling, and we should all send an on-line congratulations about this decision. Also, please remember: “There are 2 kinds of people in the world; those who are Greek and those who wish they were.” ❤? (And there is no Greek blood in my lineage!)
Manos says
I don’t trust this pathetic left wing dog. He and his Marxists mob is responsible for the most severe Austerity measures in greece. He and Marxists mobis responsible for all the illegals arriving in Greece. Greece is under a left wing dictatorship under Germany control. There needs to be a regime change in Greece. Greece needs a real leader like Putin, Victor Orban, Bibi Netanahu, ASAP.
Michael Copeland says
“a system that rights groups say frequently discriminates against women”.
“Frequently” is an understatement. “Systematically” is more accurate.
jack cade says
The Greeks are finally deciding to be Greek!
mortimer says
Those who want Sharia law to be ABOVE the national law, will be angry and they may strike out with VIOLENCE.
CRUSADER says
Greece hit bottom, and now gaining some speed….
Aristotle and Alexander would be noticing a trace of pride forming…..
St. Manuel II Palaiologos says
That’s probably the *only* good thing SYRIZA and Alexis Tsipras has done.
DFD says
Agreed
gravenimage says
Yes–surprised to see this in today’s Greece. Perhaps a sign that even these silly Leftists have had enough.
Felix Quigley says
It is you who is being “silly”. Instead of accepting it in a mature way for what it is, a step forward, an exemplary step forward, you go on the attack!
Manny says
“Greece’s Muslim minority will be able to resolve family disputes before Greek courts rather than under Islamic sharia law after the parliament on Tuesday changed a century-old legacy.”
Maybe that’s a historic step but the way I read it they have a choice to use internal Sharia or the Greek courts. That to me is still unacceptable. They shuold have no choice, and Sharia should be banished from ever be used by anyone within the country at any time.
gravenimage says
Manny, before Muslims did not have the option of going before Greek courts for this sort of case. That, especially, codified oppression of Muslim women.
Of course, many will still be coerced not to use the Greek civil courts–but there is no doubt that this is a step in the right direction, and significantly limits the power of the Shari’ah courts.
MFritz says
In a true democratic state THERE IS ONLY ONE LAW FOR EVERYONE.
gravenimage says
*Yes*. Have you heard of the British anti-Shari’ah group One Law For All?
http://onelawforall.org.uk/
lebel says
“a century-old legacy”
Slowest stealth jihadis ever
gravenimage says
So now lebel is sneering at the Infidel Greeks for not having submitted to Shari’ah? *Ugh*.
The truth is that Greece had fairly recently won their freedom from centuries of oppressive Muslim rule at the time, and were far more apt to realize the threat than most Kuffar.
Of course, lebel hopes we know nothing of Greece’s history.
gravenimage says
“Historic step”: Greece limits power of Sharia law
………………………….
I’m surprised, but thrilled, to see this in Greece.
Vic says
Hear! Hear!
gravenimage says
🙂
Lydia Church says
Great!
Santa Voorhees says
This makes me proud to have greek ancestors. Good job Greece! Now if you can ban it altogether it would be even better.
LeftisruiningCanada says
Not one for huffpo usually, but this article was interesting:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/evaggelos-vallianatos/turkish-terror-against-th_b_3680130.html
Karen says
Wonderful news, and an important victory against Sharia, which has no place in free Western societies, including the birthplace of democracy.
Carlos Danger says
Well done, the Greeks. After putting up with the Turk for 500 + years, they know shariah when they they see it.
DP111 says
Athens admits that the Islam preached by the Thrace muftis is generally more moderate than the teachings of more hardline imams elsewhere in Europe.
Only as long as they are a very small minority.
Valkyrie Ziege says
; It’s good to see the Greeks living up to their nation anthem, and the fact that their civilization named emotions, brought forth science, math, drama, acting, literature, study of history, sports, which helped in the creation of modern civilization.
https://youtu.be/5VkPRU6C-JQ
Karen says
Oh? I thought Islam produced all those things. ?
Karen says
Your comment made me look up the lyrics to their anthem….very beautiful and interesting. The Greece of old, reappearing, liberated.
“From the sacred bones,
of the Hellenes arisen,
and valiant again as you once were,
hail, o hail, Liberty”
Richard Courtemanche says
Good decision but like other Western countries, it’s minute to what Islam will be able to achieve eventually with their rapid procreation and intrusion in about just everything.
prof andrew michael says
Watch this space HE the Sultan of Turkey will have someting to say about this, ‘How dare the Greeks implemet this law about Sharia and the Muslims in the Greece.