Saudi human rights advocates have praised the court’s decision this week annulling the marriage between an eight-year-old girl and a 58-year-old man who paid SR30,000 ($8,000) to the girl’s father in exchange for the nuptials, the Arab News reported on Friday.“The marriage contract was illegal because she is a minor and her father gave his agreement without her knowledge,” said Suhaila Zain Al Abidin, a human rights activist.
Last Wednesday, the Saudi Court of Cassation issued the divorce document to end the marriage that evoked criticism of many members of the Saudi society as well as by international child rights advocates, including UNICEF.
The marriage took place in Onaizah, a town in the northcentral Qassim province, the newspaper said.
The high court was asked to review the ruling of a local judge, who had upheld the marriage against a pledge by the man not to have sex with the girl until she was 18. The judge had maintained that only the girl, upon reaching adulthood, could choose to divorce the man.
However, this decision caused huge outrage, which was later corrected.
The mother of the girl, who divorced the father years ago, had complained about her ex-husband as far back as August, but the courts sided with the father then, the Saudi-based daily said. The father had agreed to marry his daughter to the 58-year-old man for a dowry of SR30,000.
Islam defines dowry as the property of the bride rather than the father but the father had taken its control, Arab News said.
The high court was asked to review the ruling of a local judge, who had upheld the marriage against a pledge by the man not to have sex with the girl until she was 18. The judge had maintained that only the girl, upon reaching adulthood, could choose to divorce the man.
However, this decision caused huge outrage, which was later corrected.
The mother of the girl, who divorced the father years ago, had complained about her ex-husband as far back as August, but the courts sided with the father then, the Saudi-based daily said. The father had agreed to marry his daughter to the 58-year-old man for a dowry of SR30,000.
Islam defines dowry as the property of the bride rather than the father but the father had taken its control, Arab News said.
Source : Arabianbusiness.com
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