Judicial Official Defends Polygamy

The judiciary’s cultural deputy, Hadi Sadeqi, defended male polygamy in the name of sharia law at a news conference in early February.

“No law can veto the recommendations of sharia law and no law can prevent polygamy because it would go against the Koran,” said Sadeqi.

Under Iranian law, Muslim men can practice polygyny – having between two and four wives – but women are forbidden from engaging in polyandry, when a woman has multiple husbands.

“There is no legal ban on men marrying a second or third wife. Polygamy was also allowed under the previous regime because sharia doesn’t prohibit it,” a judicial official told Fars News Agency. “But there are certain conditions. If a man takes a wife for no good reason or without the permission of his first wife, the first wife is allowed to ask for divorce. However under the new law [set out by the current regime], efforts were made to make this even harder.”

Iranian marriage law traditionally favors the husband. In cases where women want a divorce but the men do not, a wife must legally prove that her husband is either abusive, suffers from psychological problems or is somehow unable to uphold his marriage responsibilities.

“Nobody should renounce polygamy for men,” added Hadi Sadeqi. “The Koran says men should be fair in this regard. This is where the law comes into question — to ensure that husbands treat their wives honorably.”

Read the original article in Persian