Saudi Judge Refuses to Annul 8-Year-Old’s Marriage

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by Lamar Tyler | on April 13th, 2009 | 4 comments

From CNN:

The most recent ruling, in which the judge upheld his original verdict, was handed down Saturday in the Saudi city of Onaiza, where late last year the same judge rejected a petition from the girl’s mother, who was seeking a divorce for her daughter.

The relative said the judge, Sheikh Habib Al-Habib, “stuck by his earlier verdict and insisted that the girl could petition the court for a divorce once she reached puberty.” The family member, who requested anonymity, added that the mother will continue to pursue a divorce for her daughter.

The case, which has drawn criticism from local and international rights groups, came to light in December when al-Habib declined to annul the marriage on a legal technicality. The judge ruled the girl’s mother — who is separated from the girl’s father — was not the girl’s legal guardian and therefore could not represent her in court, according to Abdullah al-Jutaili, the mother’s lawyer.

The girl’s father, according to the attorney, arranged the marriage in order to settle his debts with the man, who is “a close friend” of his. At the time of the initial verdict, the judge required the girl’s husband to sign a pledge that he would not have sex with her until she reaches puberty, al-Jutaili told CNN. The judge ruled that when the girl reaches puberty, she will have the right to request a divorce by filing a petition with the court, the lawyer said.

There are so many things wrong with this story. Selling your daughter to pay off debts, a 47 y/o man marrying an 8 y/o girl etc. etc. etc… Sad story. What are your thoughts?

About the author

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the creators of the award-winning blog BlackandMarriedWithKids.com . They also are behind the Amazon.com bestselling DVDs Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, You Saved Me and Men Ain’t Boys that explores manhood in the African American community. The Tylers are also the proud parents of four children.

http://seeinsideofme.blogspot.com simply beautiful

Unfortunately, this is a common practice in that part of the world. For this one story there are probably a hundred more. The thing I’d like to know is, what can I as a U. S. citizen, a woman, a mother–a human being–what can I do that will eliminate this practice? What can I do to help this 8 year old and her mother? What can I do? I’ll do the most that I can and that is pray.

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http://www.mrkingjames.blogspot.com King James

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http://msmikosplaceontheweb.blogspot.com/ Ms. Miko

This is perposterous, (I’m not sure if that’s how you spell it)

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Anna

Ms. Miko said:
This is perposterous, (I’m not sure if that’s how you spell it)

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LOL. I don’t think we lose brownie points for spelling. This is crazy. I know with/in foreign countries the barter system is a every day dealing. To barter your child into marriage to pay a debt, unthinkable. The second you know that you are going to have a child changes your life. A parents first job is to “Protect” their child. By me having kids I am in debt. I would not trade them for anything, or even to settle a debt. We grow up, get a job and take care of “ours”. Ppl give a child away to a family that will love and protect them as we would if we had the stability. How can you donate/give away a child at the age of 8 to be married to a man that is told he has to wait until she hits puberity to have sex with her? I heard about this months ago. If this is the same 8 year old her legal husband that she wants to divorce chased her around the room for sex. This is sick. Her mother does not have custody of the child and her husband had the courts power to do what he did? In our country mothers unless considered unfit were granted custody of the kids. It really does take a bad mother to lose custody of a child. In other countries a mother is only an “egg donor” and the husband gets all the rights. How a man can pimp his child out over a debt is “wtf are you thinking, little girls are to be treated as a Princes and our little men as Kings. They are not to be born to be someones sex/slave to pay a freaking debt for/to a parent who only looks at them as a debt paid in full. I always talk about “throw away kids”, how was this child thrown away to a perv?