Egyptian husbands will soon be legally
allowed to have sex with their dead wives for up to six hours after their
death, local media is claiming.The controversial new law is claimed to be part
of a raft of measures being introduced by the Islamist-dominated parliament.It
will also see the minimum age of marriage lowered to 14 and the ridding of
women's rights of getting education and employment.Egypt's National Council for
Women is reportedly campaigning against the changes, saying that 'marginalising
and undermining the status of women would negatively affect the country's human
development'.Dr Mervat al-Talawi, head of the NCW, wrote to the Egyptian
People’s Assembly Speaker Dr Saad al-Katatni addressing her concerns.Egyptian
journalist Amro Abdul Samea reported in the al-Ahram newspaper that Talawi
complained about the legislations which are being introduced under 'alleged
religious interpretations'.The subject of a husband having sex with his dead
wife arose in May 2011 when Moroccan cleric Zamzami Abdul Bari said marriage
remains valid even after death.He also said that women have the right to have
sex with her dead husband, alarabiya.net reported.It seems the topic, which has
sparked outrage, has now been picked up on by Egypt's politicians.TV anchor
Jaber al-Qarmouty slammed the notion of letting a husband have sex with his
wife after her death under the so-called 'Farewell Intercourse' draft law.He
said: 'This is very serious. Could the panel that will draft the Egyptian
constitution possibly discuss such issues? Did Abdul Samea see by his own eyes
the text of the message sent by Talawi to Katatni?..'This is unbelievable. It
is a catastrophe to give the husband such a right! Has the Islamic trend
reached that far? Is there really a draft law in this regard? Are there people
thinking in this manner?'Although reported in local media, there are some
suggestions from within Egypt that the plans do not exist and were merely
seeded by journalists loyal to ousted President Hosni Mubarak.