NEWS

Justice Ministry denies violating convention

Justice Ministry denies violating convention

The Justice Ministry on Thursday responded to a ruling against Greece by the European Court of Human Rights over an inheritance dispute, saying the case predates a change in laws adopted in 2018.

“Those who try to distort the European court’s ruling in the above case are the same people who, for years, have not taken any measures to protect the rights of members of the Muslim minority of Thrace,” the ministry said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the court ruled that Greece violated the European Convention on Human Rights by applying Sharia law in the case of Chatitze Molla Sali, a Muslim woman from northern Greece.

Sali inherited her deceased husband’s assets in 2008, according to his will, but Greek courts deemed the will invalid in 2015 after it was challenged by his sisters, who cited Sharia law.

As a response to the wide publicity the case received, the government amended the law to limit the powers of Islamic courts, giving priority to Greek civil courts, in January of this year.

Muslims in Greece can now resort to Sharia law only if all concerned parties agree.

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