If your daughter said she's marrying a muslim,

[conyat]

<p><a href=“http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41732.htm[/url]”>http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41732.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>From the state department’s information on Syria:</p>

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Rape is a felony; however, there are no laws against spousal rape. According to Article 489 of Criminal Law, “The punishment for a man who rapes woman (other than his wife) is at least 15 years in prison.” However, if the individual who commits the crime agrees to marry the victim, he faces no punishment. The victim’s family sometimes agrees to this arrangement to avoid the social scandal and stigma attached to such a crime. If the victim is too young for marriage then the rapist will receive a longer sentence. No statistics are kept on spousal rape because it is not a crime under the Criminal Law. </p>

<p>The law specifically provides for reduced sentences in “honor” crimes, which are violent assaults by a male against a female, usually a family member, with intent to kill for alleged sexual misconduct.

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The Constitution provides for equality between men and women and equal pay for equal work. Moreover, the Government has sought to overcome traditional discriminatory attitudes toward women and encouraged women’s education by ensuring equal access to educational institutions, including universities. However, the Government has not changed personal status, retirement, or social security laws that discriminate against women. In addition, some secular laws discriminate against women. For example, under criminal law, if a man and woman separately commit the same criminal act of adultery, the woman’s punishment is double that of the man’s.

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Husbands and wives can claim adultery as grounds for divorce; however, criminal law discriminates against women in this regard. A man can only be accused of adultery if his actions occur in the home which he shares with his wife; a woman can be accused of adultery regardless of venue. Also, any evidence a man presents when claiming adultery is accepted by a court of law; if a woman attempts to file for divorce based on adultery, her husband must admit to the crime or there must be a third witness to the act. There have been no reported cases where a woman successfully filed for divorce based on adultery.

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Regardless of divorce or other circumstances, the law provides that a child is entitled to a minimum of 1,000 Syrian pounds ($20) per year of financial support. Courts calculate child alimony above this amount according to the income of the father. However, it is incumbent upon the mother requesting the alimony to prove the father’s income, and the father is under no obligation to provide that information. </p>

<p>In addition, under the Personal Status Law modified in October 2003, a divorced mother loses the right to physical custody of her sons when they reach age of 13 and of her daughters at age 15. Guardianship, or control over exercise of the legal rights of the children, always remains with the paternal side of the family.

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A husband may request that his wife’s travel abroad be prohibited (see Section 2.d.).

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<p>In general, it looks like the status of women in the public sphere is improving in Syria, but not much change has been made in family law.</p>