Saudi Arabia: Young woman married at 10 years old must pay for divorce
The father of the girl, regrets having married his daughter so young, saying "I made a mistake by forcing my daughter to marry. If she wants to re-marry, it will be her decision who to do it with."
The father of the 23-year-old woman also pleaded for help in order to collect the 100,000 riyal dowry that must be returned.
"I ask those who have the possibility to help my daughter to find the money needed to return the dowry. I cannot help her because our family does not have the economic means," concluded the father.
On Wednesday, a court in neighbouring Yemen annulled the marriage of an eight-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man. The girl alleged her husband had beaten and raped her although under Yemeni law a groom is not allowed to have sex with his child bride until she reaches puberty. Yemen is one of the world's poorest countries.
18 April 2008