Minors’ Forced Marriages Lead to 3 Arrests
An Iraqi refugee accused of forcing his 13- and 14-year-old daughters to marry men twice their age in an Islamic ceremony was jailed on child abuse charges, and the alleged husbands were charged with rape.
A university professor from Iraq and a lawyer for the so-called husbands said the three men were following Islamic tradition and did not intend to violate state law.
“It is a clash between cultural mores and U.S. law,” said Terry Cannon, a lawyer for the alleged husbands, Latif Al-Hussani, 34, and Majed Al-Tamimy, 28. The two recent immigrants were jailed on $50,000 bail each and could get up to 50 years in prison.
The father, Salem Al-Saidy, a school janitor on disability, was jailed on $10,000 bail. He faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Police said Hussani and the 13-year-old were married Nov. 9 against the girl’s will at her father’s home. The 14-year-old daughter claimed she was forced to marry Tamimy.
Nebraska requires people to be 17 or older to marry.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.