<p>An Iraqi court adjourned a hearing Sunday to allow a man to formalise his religious marriage to a 12-year-old girl, according to a lawyer for the girl's mother, who opposes the union.</p>.<p>Rights activists protested outside the Baghdad court with banners such as "the marriage of minors is a crime against childhood", while lawyer Marwan Obeidi told AFP the case had been postponed until November 28.</p>.<p>The legal age for marriage in Iraq is 18 but can be lowered to 15 in cases of parental or judicial consent, according to charity Save the Children.</p>.<p>"Religious marriages are not permitted outside civil or religious courts but these types of marriages still happen regularly and can be formalised on the payment of a small fine," it said in a recent report.</p>.<p>The mother, who refuses to be identified, said her daughter Israa had been "raped" and that the girl's father kidnapped her.</p>.<p>But a department of the interior ministry dealing with violence against women said in a statement that it had met with Israa, her father and husband, seen the religious contract, and said she had assured them she had not been coerced.</p>.<p>Child marriage is not uncommon in conservative and rural areas of Iraq, as well as in other Arab countries.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>An Iraqi court adjourned a hearing Sunday to allow a man to formalise his religious marriage to a 12-year-old girl, according to a lawyer for the girl's mother, who opposes the union.</p>.<p>Rights activists protested outside the Baghdad court with banners such as "the marriage of minors is a crime against childhood", while lawyer Marwan Obeidi told AFP the case had been postponed until November 28.</p>.<p>The legal age for marriage in Iraq is 18 but can be lowered to 15 in cases of parental or judicial consent, according to charity Save the Children.</p>.<p>"Religious marriages are not permitted outside civil or religious courts but these types of marriages still happen regularly and can be formalised on the payment of a small fine," it said in a recent report.</p>.<p>The mother, who refuses to be identified, said her daughter Israa had been "raped" and that the girl's father kidnapped her.</p>.<p>But a department of the interior ministry dealing with violence against women said in a statement that it had met with Israa, her father and husband, seen the religious contract, and said she had assured them she had not been coerced.</p>.<p>Child marriage is not uncommon in conservative and rural areas of Iraq, as well as in other Arab countries.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>