Egyptian women's groups are attempting to block controversial new laws that would allow husbands to have “farewell intercourse” with their dead wives, Al Arabiya reports.

The law would mean that husbands are legally entitled to have sex with their wife six hours after her death.

Russia Today reports that prominent journalist and TV host Jaber al-Qarmouty used his popular show to protest against the draft law:

“This is unbelievable. It is a catastrophe to give the husband such a right! Has the Islamic trend reached that far? Is there really a draft law in this regard? Are there people thinking in this manner.”

Egypt’s National Council for Women (NCW) have appealed to Egyptian parliament against the law, and another that would lower the age of marriage to 14 years old, according to Al Arabiya.

Plans for the law have been linked back to controversial Moroccan cleric Zamzami Abdul Baric and have are thought to be supported by a growing Islamist political movement in Egypt.