JEDDAH — Civil courts across the Kingdom have logged 128 lawsuits during the past three months. The suits were filed by women against their parents for preventing them from marrying. This shows that at least two such cases are registered by the court every day highlighting the injustice against women.
“The number of ‘adhl’ (marriage prevention) cases in Saudi courts has increased in the first quarter of this Hijrah year 1437,” said the Justice Ministry in a report, adding that many other cases do not come to court because of social taboos in the conservative society.
“During the first three months of this Hijrah year, courts have listed 128 lawsuits from women who accused their parents and guardians of blocking their marriages with qualified grooms citing various reasons,” Al-Madinah Arabic daily reported quoting a ministry official.
The lawsuits were instituted in 10 courts across the Kingdom with the general court in Makkah receiving the largest number of 45 cases, followed by Riyadh 28 cases, Eastern Province 24, Madinah 13, Qassim 7, Asir 5, Tabuk and Hail two cases each, and Jazan and Baha one each, the Arabic daily said.
Lawyer Dr. Ibrahim Al-Abadi, former member of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, defined adhl, which is a Shariah term.
“It means parents or guardians preventing a woman from marrying a suitable groom despite the couple’s desire to go ahead with the marriage,” he said. “I have noticed that the number of adhl cases being filed at Saudi courts is on the increase because of women’s awareness about their rights,” he said.
He said the issuance of a number of new laws has contributed to safeguarding women’s rights and preventing arbitrary decisions by their guardians.
“Women in the past were not aware that they could approach courts to safeguard their rights usurped by their male guardians, including parents and brothers, and that they can have another guardian sanctioning their marriage,” he said.
Al-Abadi described adhl as one the worst injustices committed against women as parents and other guardians arbitrarily prevent them from marriage with qualified grooms.
“I am happy that the Justice Ministry is keen on dealing with such cases and has issued a number of regulations to protect women’s rights including the right to abrogate the guardianship of people who do injustice toward them,” he explained.
Article 33 of the Legal Proceedings Law allows civil courts to look into cases of women who do not have a guardian, who could permit the marriage, or cases of guardians who prevent them from marrying, said the lawyer.
