Okaz/Saudi Gazette DAMMAM — The Ministry of Justice has announced that failing to pay child support is a form of abuse and will result in up to seven years in prison for the father. A source from the ministry said the courts in the Kingdom have looked into 3,000 cases and obliged fathers to pay child support in 2,700 of the cases. "Failing to pay child support or lying about the financial status of the father or his monthly salary will subject him to up to seven years in prison. The judge can easily find out the financial worth of the father from the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency," the source said. Minister of Justice Waleed Al-Samaani has made it clear that failing to provide for one's children financially is a violation of Child Protection Law and is therefore a form of child abuse. "Failing to provide for the child financially is a form of negligence as financial support is one of the child's basic needs. It is the responsibility of the parents to take care of the child in a stable and consistent manner," the source said. "Once officials complete the investigative report on a case at hand, it is forwarded to the special court to issue a verdict to penalize the violator. Violators of Child Protection Law will face imprisonment of a minimum of one month and a maximum of one year," he added. The source said violators are also subject to fines of between SR5,000 and SR50,000. Legal consultant Mohammad Al-Jathlani said the new penalty against violators of child support verdicts was a positive step in protecting children's rights. "The ministry should also look into the rate of child support imposed. In many cases, the money paid is not enough to sustain a decent living for the children. The amount of child support should be fixed taking into account the financial status of the father," Al-Jathlani said. "The court should also ensure that the children in question are treated fairly by their fathers. There are cases where fathers treat children from their current wives with more favors than children from a previous wife," he said. He said children of a man from all his wives have the right to receive equal treatment. "I wish the courts cooperate with the Ministry of Labor and Social Development to register the children at the General Organization for Social Insurance. That way, if the child support was not sufficient to sustain a dignified life for the children they can receive financial support via their social insurance," he said. Former judge Nasr Al-Yamani said the new penalty was a positive step to protect the rights of children. "There should be a standard rate for child support based on the cost of living in the country. The courts in general do not take into account the economic situation in the country. There must be a way in which children are financially protected in case the father is not able to provide for them," Al-Yamani said.
