A young woman in her early twenties is demanding that the authorities declare that her father is no longer her legal guardian as she claims that he married her off to an old man for a large amount of money and then contributed to that marriage ending in divorce only to marry her off to another old man for an equally large sum. She also alleges that her father has abused members of her large family, tortured her mother and threatened to kill both herself and her mother. The young woman, only identified as R.T., said she cannot go to university at present as she receives death threats through her mobile from her father and brothers. Moreover, a man in his fifties keeps waiting for her at the university gates after her father married her off to him for SR200,000. This is the second time her father married her off to an elderly man. Seven years ago when she was a young teenager, he also married her off to an old man for SR200,000. Her father then contributed to that marriage ending in divorce so that he could marry her off to the second man. All of this was done as a result of her father's greed for money, the young woman claims. The woman and her mother took their case to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) but the commission gave them the choice of either officially seeking protection or following up the case with the governorate (Amarah). The young woman's mother said she was forced with her daughter to live in a rented house after she (the mother) was divorced seven years ago. However until now, she has yet to receive the official divorce document. She said her former husband is refusing to give her the divorce document unless she signs a paper to drop all responsibility for her children. The mother lamented that she and her children have suffered due to the maltreatment of her former husband. She said her children have been psychologically affected by the many problems they have faced and the threats that have been made against them. Examples include the father pointing a gun at his nine-year-old daughter's head. On another occasion, another daughter lost her ability to speak for three months after her father beat her when she refused to be married to an old man for SR200,000. Furthermore, the mother claimed, that her former husband would encourage his sons to punish their sisters by beating them and would reward the boys financially for doing so. One of her daughters, the mother claimed, has a permanently disfigured face after being beaten by her father. The mother lamented that she has 15 children – six daughters and nine sons. She said her husband used to marry off his daughters at the age of 14 to old men for over SR100,000. As to the HRC, the mother said that she and her daughter submitted their complaint on Monday to the commission, but were given the option of demanding their rights at the governorate or resorting to the Protection Committee. She stressed that they need both options and a speedy solution to rescue them from her former husband's tyranny. The mother stressed that all she needs is to obtain a document of divorce and that her former husband's guardianship be lifted from her children as they are living in a constant threat of physical and mental torture. A female official at the HRC confirmed that the mother has filed a complaint against her former husband. She said they gave her two alternatives – either protection or demand for rights – and they are waiting for her to complete the necessary paperwork.
