US clerk jailed for refusing to sanction same-sex marriage

A county clerk in the United States has been jailed for refusing to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples on religious grounds.

Kim Davis, the Rowan County clerk, was held in contempt of court by a US federal judge on Thursday and sent to jail.

In his ruling, David Bunning, the judge of the federal district court, said “her good faith belief is simply not a viable defence”.

“The court cannot condone the willful disobedience of its lawfully issued order. If you give people the opportunity to choose which orders they follow, that’s what potentially causes problems.

“I myself have genuinely-held religious beliefs, but I took an oath. Mrs. Davis took an oath. Oaths mean things.”

According to New York Times, Davis, who is an apostolic Christian, was in tears when she testified before the court, and said: “I didn’t have to think about it. There was no choice there. Marriage is between one man and one woman.”

The US Supreme Court ruled in June that same-sex couples have the right to marry under the country’s constitution.

Two groups of demonstrators were outside the court before and during the hearing, supporting opposing sides of the same-sex marriage debate.

Danny Kinder, a 73-year-old retiree from Morehead, said the courts were “taking rights away from Christians,” adding that “they’ve overstepped their bounds”.

“I’ve been praying about it, and we just have to turn it over to the Lord. She has got to stand for what she believes, and I have to stand for what I believe, and I’m behind her 100 percent.”

Bunning ruled that Davis would be released once she agreed to comply with his order and issue the marriage licences.