Protestors hold banners calling for permission of civil marriage, in Beirut, Lebanon, Feb. 23, 2019. Tens of Lebanese citizens protested on Saturday near the Interior Ministry in Beirut, demanding for a law that allows civil marriage in Lebanon. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)
BEIRUT, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Tens of Lebanese citizens protested on Saturday near the Interior Ministry in Beirut, demanding for a law that allows civil marriage in Lebanon.
"We are here today to urge the Interior Minister to sign the civil marriage contracts that were previously held in Lebanon," Lucien Abou Rjeily, actor and producer, told Xinhua.
"If we want to work towards a civil country then civil marriage should be the first step," he added.
"People from different religions and sects should be able to get married easily and civil marriage should be an option for everybody," activist Farah Saab said.
According to the National News Agency, like many countries in the Middle East, nonreligious marriage is not allowed in Lebanon.
Civil marriage's constitutionality in Lebanon was established in 2013, and a few of such marriages were approved by then-Interior Minister Marwan Charbel before Nouhad Machnouk took over the post and ceased the practice in 2014.
Many draft laws on civil marriage were sent to the parliament, yet none was approved despite many members of parliament openly saying that they supported the idea of civil marriage.
