Repression of underage marriages in India: the justice of Assam gets involved
People react after police arrested their relatives accused of being involved in underage marriages, during the crackdown in the state of Assam, February 4, 2023. AFP - BIJU BORO
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1 min
The regional government of the state of Assam, in northeastern India, launched a massive crackdown on underage marriage two weeks ago, arresting more than 3,000 men who had married young women in recent years. last years.
In this state, about a third of women marry before the legal age of 18.
This action, however, broke up established families and affected these wives even more.
The regional court of justice has just condemned the extent of the repression, and has protected several accused men.
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With our correspondent in India,
Sébastien Farcis
The Assam Court of Appeal has heard a request for protection from arrest from nine men, accused of marrying young women who were under the age of 14 at the time.
The police, under orders from the regional government, invoked against them a very severe law, which punishes the rape of children, and punishes them with a 20-year prison sentence.
“
Recourse to this law is extremely bizarre
,” replies the judge, who therefore prevents their incarceration.
He also regrets the actions already taken against hundreds of other spouses: “
Marriages of minors are a bad thing, but the harsh actions you take sow chaos within families.
»
For associations for the defense of women, this repression indeed comes much too late, when families are already composed, and sometimes have children.
This punishes these women a second time, who lose their husbands.
Others, pregnant, have even stopped consulting gynecologists or giving birth in the hospital for fear that the police will come and arrest their husbands.
This can put their life in danger.
►Also read India: massive operation to fight underage marriages
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