Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH – The police have arrested a Palestinian man accused of torturing his baby girl after a video of the abuse went viral on social media. Riyadh police spokesman said that their criminal investigation team started a manhunt for the culprit immediately after getting information about the incident on social networking sites.

“The man, a Palestinian national in his 40s, has been identified as the culprit and he was arrested from the Casablanca neighborhood, south of the Riyadh city. We will provide necessary care to his four children, in coordination with the concerned authorities,” he said adding that legal action will be taken against him.

The video showing an Arab man beating his baby girl to get her to stand up received an angry outburst from many people who shared the video on the social media. As the video went viral, voices grew louder on media platforms calling for stringent action against the erring father.

Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development spokesperson Khaled Aba Khail tweeted: “The Violence Reporting Center is verifying the video and looking for the man who appeared abusing a child. Colleagues are coordinating with the competent authorities to reach the man. The Saudi child protection system and its executive regulations will be applied on him.”

The Public Prosecution issued an order to the competent authority to initiate investigations to identify the perpetrator of the crime by analyzing the electronic identifiers of the information content of the crime and the devices used in it, in order to identify and arrest him. The Public Prosecution affirmed that it is following all that would violate social security systems through the competent committees to ensure the protection of individuals, and children in particular.

The spokesman said that the Riyadh police declaring this to confirm the keenness of the ministry of interior on the security of the homeland, citizens and expatriates and that the security authorities will work with all force and firmness and strictness to deter anyone who enters himself to prejudice the security, safety and stability of society.