French mayor indicted for refusing to conclude marriage of Moroccan couple

A French court indicted on Friday representative and mayor of the city of Valencienne, Patrick Labaune, for refusing to conclude the Marriage of two Moroccans.

The mayor refused last September 19 to conclude the marriage of Mohammed Benghamouch, whose tourist visa had expired, to Malika Alami, a Moroccan woman who has been living in the city for 10 years. The mayor's four assistants had resigned to protest the racist decision.

The judge considered that the fact that the bridegroom was in an illegal situation was no reason to prevent the marriage and ordered the mayor to pay 2,000 Euros to the couple for the moral harm they have suffered, in addition to 1,500 Euros as justice costs.