An 12-year-old boy will marry his cousin, 11, after the groom-to-be's father gave the couple's engagement his blessing.
While family and friends celebrated Nasser Hassan's eldest son's lavish
wedding, the father decided to 'double the joy' in Egypt by announcing
the engagement.
Egyptian law prohibits marriages for anyone under 18 and the decision
for Omar, 12, and Gharam, 11, to marry has sparked outrage among
activists.
According to Daily Mail, the father told Egypt's Al Watan newspaper
there was 'nothing inappropriate' about the couple, adding that it was
only 'an engagement, not a marriage'.
The wedding of the older brother was held 75 miles north of Cairo, and
when the announcement was made, guests didn't bat an eyelid, according
to the Washington Post.
But photos of the young couple were published in local media which were met with anger.
Reda Eldanbouki, the head of the Women's Center for Legal Aid and
Counseling, reported the incident to government agency the National
Center for Childhood and Motherhood.
He also filed a complaint with the attorney general to investigate the
incident and hold the parents accountable for this 'crime,'
Omar's father brushed off any criticism, and said he 'is a free man and did nothing wrong'.
'Omar has always loved Gharam so much that he used to say he will marry her when they grow up before any other man asks for her hand in marriage when she is older,' he added.
'They will get married when they reach the legal age.'
He said both children acted 'beyond their years' and had 'strong
feelings for each other' through Facebook and other social media and
'wanted to get engaged'
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