Saudi Gazette report



HAIL — An Arab expatriate woman in her 20s has appealed to Emir of Hail Prince Saud Bin Abdulmuhsin and the Human Rights Commission urging both to protect her from her divorced Saudi husband, his sons and their injustice.

The woman claimed she was prevented from seeing her daughter, had her personal belongings confiscated and was placed in a shelter for maids for more than 65 days.



Even though the Hail General Court issued a verdict in her favor, forcing her ex-husband to provide for her and their daughter, her predicament continues, Al-Hayat daily reported.



The woman, who holds Moroccan citizenship, requested anonymity. She said she was the victim of injustice and oppression and accused her ex-husband and his sons of mistreating her.



“My ex-husband was very cruel. He used to take me to his farm and force me to work there like a laborer. He also took away my mobile phone, passport, Moroccan identity card, divorce certificate, personal photographs and camera. Once, he beat me so badly that I had to be admitted to King Khalid General Hospital,” she said.



The director of the family shelter in the Human Rights Commission branch in Hail region (his name is being withheld by Al-Hayat) followed up her case after she was placed in the shelter home for maids.



However, the woman was surprised to learn that her case had been closed for unknown reasons.



The victim said her ex-husband’s son works in the same hospital and she believes he may have forced the doctor treating her to reduce her recovery period specified in the medical report from three weeks to less than 15 days.



She said she was not informed that a court hearing was being held until she had missed several sessions. She was also prevented from entering the office of the chairman of the court, who asked to meet with her.



“I was beaten up by two of my former husband’s sons, but the Human Rights Commission in Hail told me not to mention the name of any of the sons in my complaint for reasons still unknown to me until now. One of them came to me and told me that his father had issued me an exit-only visa. How can I be prevented from seeing my own daughter? How can I be forced to leave the country when a case is still going on?”



The Moroccan Consulate General has assigned Saudi lawyer Fahd Al-Hamad to defend the woman in court.



Moroccan Ambassador to the Kingdom Abdulsalam Barakah said his embassy has also assigned a specialist lawyer to defend the woman.