{"id":48606,"date":"2024-05-08T15:58:08","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T14:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/?p=48606"},"modified":"2025-01-07T10:47:58","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T09:47:58","slug":"freed-from-forced-marriage-pakistan-court-annuls-marriage-between-young-christian-girl-and-her-abductor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/news\/freed-from-forced-marriage","title":{"rendered":"Freed from forced marriage: Pakistan court annuls marriage between young Christian girl and her abductor"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"48606\" class=\"elementor elementor-48606\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-28a2b47 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"28a2b47\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2cd0703\" data-id=\"2cd0703\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-04dd360 elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"04dd360\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\"><b>Pakistan family court rules in favor of Reeha Saleem, who was forced to convert from Christianity to Islam and marry her abductor at age 17.  <\/b><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\"><b>Women and girls from religious minorities face acute risk of forced conversion coupled with forced marriage; ADF International supported Reeha\u2019s legal defence, leading advocacy efforts for the prevention of forced marriage in Pakistan<\/a>.<\/b><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8280aad elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"8280aad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Reehas-Mother_08052024_720p.mp4\" controls=\"\" preload=\"metadata\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51f92be elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"51f92be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">PAKISTAN (8 May 2024)<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f\u2013 A court in Pattoki, Pakistan has annulled the forced marriage of Christian girl, Reeha Saleem, who was 17 years old and a student of grade 8 when she was abducted on her way home from school, forced to convert to Islam, and marry her Muslim neighbor in 2019.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Family Court, Pattoki, Pakistan found that Reeha had not married her abductor willfully and that her signature on the marriage certificate had been obtained through coercion during her captivity. In the proceedings, Reeha denied that she had converted to Islam and reiterated her <a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/our-focus\/religious-freedom\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Christian faith<\/a>. The defendant, Muhammad Abbas, was issued several notices for appearance in court but did not comply, resulting in ex-parte proceedings.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Brimming with joy after the court\u2019s decision, Reeha\u2019s mother, Parveen Saleem, stated: \u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We\u2019ve faced indescribable difficulties during this time, including being forced to go into hiding to escape from Reeha\u2019s abductor who kept threatening the family to return \u2018his wife\u2019. We also suffered from an abrupt end to Reeha\u2019s education. I hope that after the court\u2019s decision to annul the illegal marriage, my daughter can resume her studies and our lives can return to normal. I am deeply grateful to ADF International and their allied lawyer Sumera Shafique for obtaining justice for Reeha, and pray that our country puts an end to these abuses\u201d.<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We are overjoyed that the court has annulled Reeha\u2019s forced marriage and that she will be able to finally move on from this ordeal<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/our-team\/tehmina-arora\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tehmina Arora<\/a>, Director of Advocacy, Asia for ADF International.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">No girl should suffer the horrors of abduction and forced marriage, further being forced to give up their faith. It is our hope that the annulment of Reeha\u2019s forced marriage will be a positive step forward for the thousands of women and girls in Pakistan who are facing similar ordeals. It is time for the government of Pakistan to intervene further by implementing a minimum age of 18 for marriage across the country in order to prevent these forced marriages and conversions from happening in the first place\u201d.<\/span><\/i><\/p><p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">ADF International supported Reeha&#8217;s legal defence and is leading advocacy efforts for the prevention of forced conversion and marriage in Pakistan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0413eeb elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0413eeb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"330\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Reeha-Saleem.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-48610\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Reeha-Saleem.png 640w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Reeha-Saleem-300x155.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f32989 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6f32989\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Girls from minority religions face acute risk globally<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Globally,\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/eap\/press-releases\/10-million-additional-girls-risk-child-marriage-due-covid-19-unicef\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">100 million girls are at risk<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202fof being forced into child marriage over the next decade according to UNICEF. The threat for girls from religious minorities, particularly in certain parts of Asia and Africa, of also being coerced into changing their religion in connection with a forced marriage is particularly acute.\u202fIn Pakistan, for example, more than 1,000 girls from religious minorities are forced into conversion and marriage every year.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In Pakistan, ADF International allied lawyers are engaged in supporting women and girls suffering from forced marriage in light of an unsettling trend where the women and girls, often Christian, are forced to convert to Islam for their marriage to be validated by Sharia court. Under Sharia law, which permits marriage at the age of puberty,\u202fthe marriage age is lower than the official marriage age, which varies between 16 and 18 years in the different Pakistani states. When girls are forced to convert, their parents often are unable to stop the violation from happening.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201c<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Not only are these forced conversions and marriages a tremendous violation of the basic human rights of these young women, but also these women and girls often are fearful for their lives and those of their families, preventing them from denouncing their captors,<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d stated Arora. <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cIn Pakistan, where these abuses are prevalent, the government has an opportunity to make a difference by implementing a uniform age for marriage and other safeguards in the law.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">On last year\u2019s International Day of the Girl Child,\u202fADF International <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YQXm_5Lo0Ig&amp;ab_channel=ADFInternational\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">highlighted the testimonies of survivors in a mini-documentary<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. The documentary features interviews with Nayab Gill and Saima Bibi, two Christian girls who endured the human rights violations of forced conversion and marriage and have since escaped.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8472cce elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"8472cce\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/YQXm_5Lo0Ig?si=BCZWal_RROO1u3xz&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-container brlbs-cmpnt-content-blocker brlbs-cmpnt-with-individual-styles\" data-borlabs-cookie-content-blocker-id=\"youtube-content-blocker\" data-borlabs-cookie-content=\"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\"><div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-preset-c brlbs-cmpnt-cb-youtube\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-thumbnail\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/borlabs-cookie\/1\/yt_YQXm_5Lo0Ig_hqdefault.jpg')\"><\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-main\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-play-button\"><\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-content\"> <p class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-description\">You are currently viewing a placeholder content from <strong>YouTube<\/strong>. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.<\/p> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-provider-toggle\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-show-provider-information role=\"button\">More Information<\/a> <\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-buttons\"> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-btn\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-unblock role=\"button\">Unblock content<\/a> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-btn\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-accept-service role=\"button\" style=\"display: inherit\">Accept required service and unblock content<\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e17a40b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e17a40b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\">Forced conversion coupled with forced marriage is not unique to one country. In Northern Nigeria, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\">for example, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\">many Christian girls face forced marriages and forced conversions to Islam. In\u202f<\/span><\/span><a class=\"Hyperlink SCXW180573474 BCX0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Documents\/Issues\/Women\/WRGS\/ForcedMarriage\/NGO\/PopulationCouncil24.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW180573474 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">Northwest Nigeria, the median age of marriage is only 15<\/span><\/span><\/a><span class=\"TextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\">, and girls usually have no say in the matter. According to\u202f<\/span><\/span><a class=\"Hyperlink SCXW180573474 BCX0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unwomen.org\/en\/news\/stories\/2016\/9\/speech-by-lakshmi-puri-on-child-marriage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW180573474 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">UN Women<\/span><\/span><\/a><span class=\"TextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\">, approximately 700 million girls worldwide have been married before their eighteenth birthday.\u202f<\/span><\/span><a class=\"Hyperlink SCXW180573474 BCX0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/women\/child-and-forced-marriage-including-humanitarian-settings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW180573474 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">One in every three girls in developing countries is married before reaching the age of 18<\/span><\/span><\/a><span class=\"TextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW180573474 BCX0\">\u202fand one in nine is married under age 15.\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW180573474 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0ce2373 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"0ce2373\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span 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class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Reeha-Saleem.png\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"79850d3\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Reeha Saleem\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6NDg2MDcsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC9hZGZpbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsLm9yZ1wvd3AtY29udGVudFwvdXBsb2Fkc1wvMjAyNFwvMDVcL1JlZWhhLVNhbGVlbS5wbmciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiI3OTg1MGQzIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Reeha-Saleem.png\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"330\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pakistan family court rules in favor of Reeha Saleem, who was forced to convert from Christianity to Islam and marry her abductor at age 17. Finally Pakistan family court ruled in favor of Reeha Saleem<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":48607,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[29,249,32,30,1126,271],"class_list":["post-48606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-christian-persecution","tag-forced-conversion","tag-forced-marriage","tag-pakistan","tag-reeha-saleem","tag-tehmina-arora"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Freed from forced marriage: Pakistan court annuls marriage between young Christian girl and her abductor<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pakistan family court rules in favor of Reeha Saleem, who was forced to 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