EU urges Yemen to set minimum age for marriage

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton Friday said she is "appalled by reports of the death of an 8 year old Yemeni girl from serious injuries, including internal bleeding, sustained on her wedding night." She urged the Yemeni authorities in a statement to investigate this case without delay and to prosecute all those responsible for this crime. Ashton called on the Yemeni government "to abide by its obligations under international law, including the UN Conventions protecting the rights of the child, of which Yemen is a member, and to immediately reinstate legislation setting a minimum age for marriage, in line with international norms, to prohibit such abuse of children." "The onus is on the Yemeni authorities to put in place a legislative framework to counter practices which are patent violations of basic human rights and could result in horrific crimes," added the statement