A Buraidah girl, 12, sent shockwaves through the courthouse here when she said that she accepted her marriage to an 80-year-old man because she wanted to obey the wishes of her father. The marriage has caused a great deal of controversy in the Kingdom and resulted in widespread condemnation from local and international human rights activists. The elderly man paid SR85,000 dowry which the father claims he is holding for his daughter. The decision surprised Ibrahim Al-Amr, the judge of the General Court in Buraidah on Monday. Al-Amr was expected to issue a verdict in the matter when the girl made the announcement. During the court session, she said: “The marriage took place with my consent and I accept him as my husband in obedience to my father.” The child's statement was not the only surprise of the day. The girl's divorced mother also dropped a bombshell by withdrawing the lawsuit she had filed to annul her daughter's marriage to the 80-year-old man. The girl's mother has now added a condition to the marriage, that her daughter must be allowed to complete her education and that her former husband should drop previous cases he had filed against her. Also, she stipulated that she be given custody over her son. Sources said mediation is taking place between representatives of the girl's father and mother to settle the case amicably. Judicial sources have confirmed that the girl's father has asked the judge to withdraw her case. The mother would also withdraw the case she filed at the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) opposing the marriage, according to the sources. Questions are now being asked about the dramatic change in the course of the matter. Saleh Al-Dubaibi, a lawyer who has been hired by the Mawaddah Charitable Society, said that the mother had not informed him personally that she had dropped her case. She had also not notified the NSHR either. “Mediation is going on now between the girl's divorced father and mother aiming to contain the matter and prevent it from being given too much attention in the media, as it has become a public opinion case.” The lawyer said there should be laws preventing marriage of underage girls to old men because it is the children who become the victims. “There are people who are trying to exploit public opinion to achieve personal goals,” stressing that the case “necessitates enacting laws that curb marriage of underage girls.” He said the girl was still a child even though she appeared to be physically mature. As she was still a child, she could be influenced easily, he said. “She is the age of his great grandchildren,” he said. The marriage was solemnized in September 2009 and the wedding ceremony took place a few weeks ago. Saudi Arabia has no laws preventing underage marriages. Plans are under way to prevent this from happening with a law that will raise the age of marriage of girls to between 16 and 18 years.
