Greek MPs take custody of youngsters underneath hearth, divorce regulation | Greece, politics

ATHENS – With disagreement among its ranks, Greece’s ruling New Democracy is trying to get parliament through a bill reforming family and divorce laws that critics said violent criminals would share custody of children.

Before the vote, Amnesty International joined women’s groups and civil society organizations in calling on the Greek authorities to reject the law, which has also generated resistance within the government.

The law was changed and more were expected on May 19 after Justice Minister Konstantinos Tsiaras himself came under pressure from within the ruling party, which was divided over the controversial measure, Kathimerini said.

He has already changed it several times after meeting with several parliamentary committees, and he and government spokeswoman Aristotelia Peloni said he could do it again, the paper reported.

“We are a democratic party. We can talk. We can also hear a different point of view, ”Tsiaras said, but said he would not make sweeping changes that he said would“ deconstruct ”the proposed bill.

Esther Major, Amnesty International’s Senior Research Adviser, said: “The proposed provision would violate Greece’s obligation under the Istanbul Convention that States parties must take steps to ensure that custody and visitation rights protect the rights and safety of survivors not endanger domestic violence and witnesses and victims of children ”.

Amnesty said the legislation would put domestic violence victims, including migrant and refugee women, at greater risk, and urged the government to withdraw it before a vote.

“As legal proceedings can take up to 5 years, there is a risk that the new law will allow perpetrators of violence and abuse access to their victims for longer periods of time,” the group said in its statement.

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