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Muslim cleric gets four years in jail for marrying minor

Arab World Materials 24 November 2010 16:07 (UTC +04:00)
An Indonesian court on Wednesday sentenced a Muslim cleric to four years in jail for marrying a 12-year-old, the state-run Antara news agency reported.
Muslim cleric gets four years in jail for marrying minor

An Indonesian court on Wednesday sentenced a Muslim cleric to four years in jail for marrying a 12-year-old, the state-run Antara news agency reported.

Judges at the Ungaran district court in Central Java province found Pujiono Cahyo Widianto, 46, guilty of "deliberate acts" to force a minor to have sex with him, Antara said, DPA reported.

News of Widianto's marriage to 12-year-old Lutviana Ulfa in 2008 drew a public outcry and prompted condemnations from child rights activists and Muslim scholars.

Widianto said at that time he did not intend to consummate the marriage until the girl reached puberty.

The minimum age of marriage is 16 years for women under Indonesian law.

It was not clear if Widianto, who has been detained for more than a year, was found to have had sex with the girl.

Widianto said he would appeal.

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