Muslim Roma brides for 3,000 euros

Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM), on the occasion of tomorrow’s International Women’s Day, highlights once more the extensive violation of the right of Muslim Roma women in Thrace, subjected too to the sharia law, including the sale of 13-14 year old children brides for 3,000 euros. Below are selected excerpts from interviews of women concerned to the local daily “Paratiritis tis Thrakis” that speak for themselves. It is recalled that, on 16 February 2007, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Spokesperson George Koumoutsakos said that the acceptance of sharia is “an indication of a sensitivity of the Greek state to certain social realities of Muslim Greek citizens”.

However, when the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), on 24 January 2007, queried about underage marriages, the official Greek delegation in its answer lied claiming that: “Underage marriages are not allowed or practiced.”