Sebastian Usher

the Egyptians, the Qataris and the US, to resolve this as quickly as possible. What might potentially happen is that Abel Yehud, this 29-year-old woman, might be released before next Saturday in a special release in order to give Israel that clarity about what's going to happen to her. At the moment, we really don't know about this.

the Egyptians, the Qataris and the US, to resolve this as quickly as possible. What might potentially happen is that Abel Yehud, this 29-year-old woman, might be released before next Saturday in a special release in order to give Israel that clarity about what's going to happen to her. At the moment, we really don't know about this.

It may not be a major stumbling block, but it is a sign that each stage of this, things can still go wrong.

It may not be a major stumbling block, but it is a sign that each stage of this, things can still go wrong.

Well, the law called the personal status law has been in place in one way or another in Iraq for more than 60 years. It's essentially a law for all the kind of civil aspects of life and And it incorporates some Islamic elements, but it's not dominated by them.

Well, the law called the personal status law has been in place in one way or another in Iraq for more than 60 years. It's essentially a law for all the kind of civil aspects of life and And it incorporates some Islamic elements, but it's not dominated by them.

And it was meant, I think, when it was brought in, to unify the country, which is made up of many different ethnicities and different religious sects. Obviously, Iraq went through many, many years of all sorts of problems, but this law has, one way or another, managed to weather those storms effectively.

And it was meant, I think, when it was brought in, to unify the country, which is made up of many different ethnicities and different religious sects. Obviously, Iraq went through many, many years of all sorts of problems, but this law has, one way or another, managed to weather those storms effectively.

Essentially, these are amendments, and there's been an awful lot of pressure to try to stop this for months now by women's rights activists who are alarmed by the fact that it will allow Iraqis, and when we say allow, I mean within the context of certain elements of society, there probably won't be any choice actually there, but to choose when they're looking at the issues of marriage, of divorce, of bringing up of children, custody, etc.,

Essentially, these are amendments, and there's been an awful lot of pressure to try to stop this for months now by women's rights activists who are alarmed by the fact that it will allow Iraqis, and when we say allow, I mean within the context of certain elements of society, there probably won't be any choice actually there, but to choose when they're looking at the issues of marriage, of divorce, of bringing up of children, custody, etc.,

to choose whether they go with the civil law or they go with the religious law, which belongs to their Islamic sect, the Sunni or the Shia. Now, the real headline of this has been about the age at which girls could be married under these changes.

to choose whether they go with the civil law or they go with the religious law, which belongs to their Islamic sect, the Sunni or the Shia. Now, the real headline of this has been about the age at which girls could be married under these changes.

Under the personal status law, that is 18, although there is some allowance made if there are safeguards for a religious dispensation for younger than that to 15, I think, under Sunni law. The concern is, that many girls now will not be married under the civil law, but under the Sunni or the Shia law.

Under the personal status law, that is 18, although there is some allowance made if there are safeguards for a religious dispensation for younger than that to 15, I think, under Sunni law. The concern is, that many girls now will not be married under the civil law, but under the Sunni or the Shia law.

Under the Shia law, the biggest concern was that under one school of Shia Islamic law, the Jafari school, girls can technically, though this is very rare, be allowed to marry as young as nine. My understanding is that that particular way that that might be allowed, that Shia religious authorities have said that that won't happen.

Under the Shia law, the biggest concern was that under one school of Shia Islamic law, the Jafari school, girls can technically, though this is very rare, be allowed to marry as young as nine. My understanding is that that particular way that that might be allowed, that Shia religious authorities have said that that won't happen.

But certainly allowing girls to be married as young as 15, this will potentially make that easier. There won't be a court system which can intervene in the way that it has before. Also, other rights, particularly relating to women over the custody of children, over rights to divorce, over inheritance, all of those women are potentially going to lose out under Islamic law.

But certainly allowing girls to be married as young as 15, this will potentially make that easier. There won't be a court system which can intervene in the way that it has before. Also, other rights, particularly relating to women over the custody of children, over rights to divorce, over inheritance, all of those women are potentially going to lose out under Islamic law.

To a degree, yes. And I mean, the fact that it's been passed, despite the pressure, not just inside Iraq, but outside, shows that particularly the Shia religious authorities, I mean, they are the majority religious sect in Iraq. It shows that they have year by year gained more power, really, politically than as well as socially and religiously.

To a degree, yes. And I mean, the fact that it's been passed, despite the pressure, not just inside Iraq, but outside, shows that particularly the Shia religious authorities, I mean, they are the majority religious sect in Iraq. It shows that they have year by year gained more power, really, politically than as well as socially and religiously.