by Walker Bennett, SF Author
Member since:
April 5, 2006

8-year-old Saudi girl divorces 50-year-old husband

May 04, 2009 01:59 PM EDT
views: 87 | comments: 20

8-year-old Saudi girl divorces 50-year-old husband



<cite>By HADEEL AL-SHALCHI, Associated Press Writer Hadeel Al-shalchi, Associated Press Writer</cite> - <abbr title="2009-04-30T18:18:45-0700">Thu Apr 30, 9:18 pm ET</abbr>

CAIRO - An 8-year-old Saudi girl has divorced her middle-aged husband after her father forced her to marry him last year in exchange for about $13,000, her lawyer said Thursday. Saudi Arabia has come under increasing criticism at home and abroad for permitting child marriages. The United States, a close ally of the conservative Muslim kingdom, has called child marriage a "clear and unacceptable" violation of human rights.

The girl was allowed to divorce the 50-year-old man who she married in August after an out-of-court settlement had been reached in the case, said her lawyer, Abdulla al-Jeteli. The exact date of the divorce was not immediately known.

A court in the central Oneiza region previously rejected a request by the girl's mother for a divorce and ruled that the girl would have to wait until she reached puberty to file a petition then.

There are no laws in Saudi Arabia defining the minimum age for marriage. Though a woman's consent is legally required, some marriage officials don't seek it.

[snip]

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Comments: 20

Svetlana Goryacheva May 4, 2009, 2:01pm EDT
This is a nightmare, not life...

Blessings and best wishes - S.
Mooch -. May 4, 2009, 2:01pm EDT
I'm sorry this is down right wrong. I've heard of child brides, but 8 years old is to young to marry anyone.
Mooch
Rebecca [Future Teacher] May 4, 2009, 2:02pm EDT
That's just so messed up.
Bridget ♥ May 4, 2009, 2:04pm EDT
My son is 8 and this is just plain sick!
Sandy (back in Ohio...blah!) May 4, 2009, 2:05pm EDT
I am glad to hear the child was able to get a divorce. I am sorry by no child that young can understand what a marriage is or should have to perform any part of a marriage. A child should be allowed to be a child.
Renee S. May 4, 2009, 2:11pm EDT
I'm glad she got the divorce. That is despicable for any society to allow that.
chelsie t. May 4, 2009, 2:13pm EDT
That is so wrong!!! Im glad we have some laws in the US
Elizabeth S. May 4, 2009, 2:19pm EDT
I'm trying to picture even some 10 year olds I know being married. Totally clueless as to what it might mean to an 8 year old.
Janet "Jax" B. May 4, 2009, 2:22pm EDT
That is just terrible....8 is still a small child...
Leah Christensen May 4, 2009, 2:30pm EDT
OH MY GOD!!!!! My Niece "Sugarplum" is 8 years old and when I think of this, I just want to slap someone!!
Melissa R May 4, 2009, 2:50pm EDT
That was very brave of her and her mother! It is so horrible to think this type of thing happens around the world daily.
Tammy N. May 4, 2009, 3:16pm EDT
I'm glad the divorce was finalized.
Beth G. May 4, 2009, 3:18pm EDT
I hope this is a first step in finally granting some much needed rights and legal protection to women and children in Saudi Arabia. It's appalling that an 8 year old was allowed to marry. Shame on her father!
norene t. May 4, 2009, 4:31pm EDT
Thank god. THis is horrible!
Tina K. May 4, 2009, 5:14pm EDT
Sad. I'm glad she had the guts to go through with it.
Elizabeth B. May 4, 2009, 8:20pm EDT
that is not only sick but wrong in my opinion! I am glad her mom and she fought for divorce.. marrage should not have happened to begin with!
scott .. May 4, 2009, 8:51pm EDT
mohamed was a pedophile if I remember right. I guess it runs deep in some of the culture there. I don't know what the country thinks of it as a whole. When it comes to females, never underestimate a man.
Mugg Muggles, "The Man With the Jive" May 5, 2009, 12:28am EDT
So what else do you expect from a stone-age culture?
Nasr A. May 6, 2009, 10:25am EDT
"mohamed was a pedophile if I remember right."

You remember incorrectly or were told incorrectly.

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