Turkey's underage marriage bill issue 'now closed'

ANKARA (AA) - Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag has said the issue of the underage marriage bill is “now closed”.

Speaking at the parliament in Ankara Wednesday, Bozdag said: "If the political parties achieve a broad consensus about this issue in the future, then it can come to our agenda again, but the issue is now closed," he said.

The contentious bill which proposed changes to the underage marriage law was initially advanced in the parliament despite objections by the two main opposition parties, Republican People's Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The bill was withdrawn earlier Tuesday.

The legal age for marriage in Turkey is 17 but under the Civil Code Article 124 a judge can – in extraordinary circumstances – allow a 16-year-old to marry.