News

Denmark bans religious marriages involving minors

Punishments for maintaining individuals in wedlock using coercion also becoming more stringent

Parliament has approved a government proposal that will crack down harder on social control in Denmark.

The law will ban religious marriages involving minors and stiffen up punishments for those who keep people locked in marriage by force.

“We have now made it a criminal offence to enter into religious marriage under the age of 18 and using force to prevent others getting a divorce,” said the immigration minister, Mattias Tesfaye.

“We simply must become better at protecting victims of social control. Handing out expulsions and prison sentences to abusers are an important tool.”

More specifically, religious leaders and others conducting marriages involving minors that have not been approved by the state can be punished with prison sentences of up to two years and expulsion from Denmark.

The same goes for parents who let their children enter into such marriages.

READ ALSO: Danish imam says government should accept child marriages among refugees

Passport crackdown
Meanwhile, the punishment for keeping someone in marriage through force is increased from two to four years – including the option of expulsion.

Furthermore, negative social control has been added to criminal law so that it can be punished as psychological violence and thus prison sentences of up to three years.

It will also be possible to confiscate or refuse to issue passports to minors if there are grounds to believe they will travel abroad to be wed.

The law will come into effect on March 15.

TOP STORIES

  • Gangs of Copenhagen

    Gangs of Copenhagen

    While Copenhagen is rated one of the safest cities in the world year after year, it is no stranger to organized crime, which often springs from highly professional syndicates operating from the shadows of the capital. These are the most important criminal groups active in the city

  • “The Danish underworld is now more tied to Scandinavia”

    “The Danish underworld is now more tied to Scandinavia”

    Carsten Norton is the author of several books about crime and gangs in Denmark, a journalist, and a crime specialist for Danish media such as TV 2 and Ekstra Bladet.

  • Right wing parties want nuclear power in Denmark

    Right wing parties want nuclear power in Denmark

    For 40 years, there has been a ban on nuclear power in Denmark. This may change after all right-wing parties in the Danish Parliament have expressed a desire to remove the ban.

  • Tunø: An island running out of time

    Tunø: An island running out of time

    The island of Tunø harbors a community of 74 adults and one child. There are no cars and only one connection to the rest of the world. Now, climate change threatens it

  • Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    The number of relocations across the Øresund Region is rising. As highlighted by 2023 numbers, Sweden benefits from a growing interest, especially among younger generations.

  • In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    He’s tickled our funny bone with countless wisecracks and clever wordplay, and in the process, made Denmark feel a little more personable to many expats. An international import himself, funny man Conrad Molden has successfully carved out a niche for himself on the Danish stand-up scene, but it’s taken a solid 13 years, much trial and error, and heaps of Danglish

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs