Divorce via email could be a reality

Will Knight ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 08 May 2000 13:11 BST

A court in the United Arab Emirates is to decide this month whether it is acceptable under law for a man to divorce his wife, via email.

According to traditional Islamic law, under certain conditions a man may divorce his wife by simply saying "I divorce you" three times.

The Gulf News reports that a Middle-East-born US citizen has asked a Dubai court to rule whether he be allowed to invoke this traditional enactment using email.

The news service reports that the Dubai man sent an email declaring his intent to divorce his wife in October and has since remarried. His wife, however, disagrees that this as a legitimate method of divorce.

The court is expected to announce its landmark ruling on May 14.

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