Afghanistan, July 2 -- Sweden has banned marriages between first cousins under a new law that took effect on Wednesday, as part of broader efforts to combat forced marriage, so-called honor-related abuse, and other forms of coercion within families.
The legislation, approved by the Swedish parliament in June, prohibits marriages between close relatives, including first cousins. Under the new rules, such marriages performed abroad will generally no longer be recognized in Sweden.
According to the legislation, marriage is also prohibited in cases where one person is closely related to the sibling of the other party. The law further removes the possibility of granting exemptions for marriages between half-siblings and between adopted sibling...