Adnan Al-Shabrawi Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Hey cow!, Hey donkey! and a third that is uncouth to mention here were words that a Saudi female citizen mentioned in a case document that she brought before the criminal court in Jeddah. She accused her husband of insulting her in public. The complainant added that her husband made it a habit to humiliate her. She called for a discretionary penalty by the court against her husband. The court decided to send a letter to the district chief (umdah) to summon the husband before the court after two weeks. This is in preparation for referring the case to the conciliation committee first in an attempt to melt the ice between the two and narrow the gap between their viewpoints. Judicial sources said complaints about insults and racist expressions have increased in the criminal court recently. These form about 25 percent of the cases received from the honor and morals circuit. These differences can be settled outside the court, as they preoccupy the court with cases of less importance than those being looked into by the court, including cases for prisoners, detainees and big criminal cases as well as private rights. Furthermore, these trivial cases reaching the courts increase the rift and increase the enmity between the parties to the case. The judicial sources added that SMS messages, WhatsApp and other social networking websites have become tools for hurling insults, abuses and threats on others. These cases are considered to be crimes in the anti-cybercrime regulations. Specialists and lawyers are demanding the issuance of regulations incriminating insults, abuses and false accusations. They should be classified and defined. Lawyer and legal consultant Saad Misfir Al-Malki said: “The criminal courts are now full of cases that can least be described as simple and sometimes trivial. The plaintiffs try to summon friends or relatives to the courts without a justified reason. Many of these cases are simple and the complainants can avoid resorting to the courts if the litigants choose deliberation, wisdom and asking for advice from family or friends to solve these issues. These cases are due to the deterioration of social relations in society and the prevailing financial aspect.”
