Mother arrested in Spain for forcing daughters into Syrian marriages

The Spanish Civil Guard has arrested the mother of two sisters, aged 16 and 17, who reported that their parents intended to take them to Syria to marry against their will. The teenagers left their home during the October 12 holiday weekend and sought help.

The Civil Guard has detained the mother of two **16- and 17-year-old** sisters of Syrian origin in **Roquetas de Mar**. The girls reported that their parents planned to force them to travel to Syria to marry men chosen by the family. The adolescents reportedly left their home to escape this situation and requested assistance.

## The sisters' report

The events date back to the long weekend of **October 12**, when the two sisters decided to leave their family home in Roquetas de Mar. According to the minors' account, their parents wanted to move them to Syria, the family's country of origin, so they could marry two men allegedly already selected for them.

Faced with this situation, the teenagers went to the **Red Cross** to ask for help. They were then accompanied to Civil Guard facilities, where they described what was allegedly happening in their family environment.

## The mother's arrest

Sources from the Almería Civil Guard Command have confirmed the woman's detention, which occurred after the minors reported the facts last October. At present, the specific charges attributed to her and her legal status have not been made public.

The investigation remains open, and the arrest is part of the proceedings conducted by the Civil Guard trinc the sisters' complaint. This is a case of alleged forced marriage, a practice prohibited by Spanish law regardless of the country where the ceremony takes place.

## What the law says about forced marriage

The Spanish Penal Code has punished forced marriage since the **2015** reform, which introduced this crime to comply with the Istanbul Convention. The norm sanctions anyone who forces another person to marry through intimidation, violence, or deception, and also covers coercion to prevent someone from marrying freely.

The minors received support from the Red Cross and the Civil Guard, and their testimony forms the basis of the investigation. Any information about the case must be handled with caution until there is a judicial ruling, and anyone facing a similar situation can seek help from social services or security forces.