Following the draft law of the ruling AKP that provides müftis, the highest responsible religious servants in a province or county working within Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), with registering marriage ceremonies; a report claimed that imams, who are appointed by the State to work at mosques, will also be authorised.
According to Habertürk daily, the new draft law will also enable müftis to delegate imams or preachers their task to carry out marriage ceremonies if there is a workload on them. Under current laws, even religiously observant couples must be married by a state registrar from the local municipality and not an Islamic cleric.
The decision would be justified on the grounds that would have too much workload. Another justification would not be able to reach distant dwelling units, especially in areas where security is not provided due to terrorism.
The Minister of Family and Social Policies, Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, following the discussions, stated that the authorization would only be given to müftis. Meanwhile, the government spokesman Bekir Bozdağ claimed that authorizing müftis to register marriages had nothing to have against secularity principle. He also said that it was impossible to carry out marriages in mosques according to regulations.
The draft had drawn outrage from opposition voices. Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) had stated, “Entitling the mufti offices to register marriages stands for the forced marriage of little girls, and the legalization of rapes under the mask of the marriage of minors."
