Bigamy, although relatively infrequent, poses complex legal challenges in recognizing marriages entered into in different countries and the resulting legal implications. Recently, a case as such was brought before the court of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, highlighting these issues.
On Tuesday February 7, a 45-year-old Algerian man found himself before the Cherbourg-en-Cotentin judicial court, accused of having married a Frenchwoman on October 14, 2017 when he was already united by the bonds of marriage in Algeria. . During the celebration of his marriage in France, the man communicated fainformation on his personal situation, in particular by using a falsified birth certificate. The truth was revealed when the first wife, mother of his two children, alerted the French authorities. However, in court, the accused denied knowing his Algerian wife.
The documents presented to the court indicate that the accused has been married in Algeria since February 2007 and that he submitted several visa applications for France in 2014. On the birth certificates provided during these procedures, mention is made of his marriage in 2007.
The Algerian was tried: the verdict falls
The prosecutor insisted on the seriousness of the offense committed, stating: “He used a false birth certificate to get married in France. It is a serious offence. She asked for a suspended sentence of twelve months in prison, ineligibility for five years and a ban on French territory for ten years.
However, on Tuesday April 11, the court decided to acquit the defendant. The reasons for this decision were not explained.
