End Forced Divorce in Saudia Arabia

Too often, the custom in Saudia Arabia is that women must be under perpetual male guardianship, passed from one male relative to another and not allowed to live alone. And now, women suffer a new human rights violation -- forced divorce.

Fatima Bent Suleiman Al Azzaz married her husband in 2003 with the consent of her father, who was her guardian. But after her father passed away her half-brothers petitioned a judge to divorce her from her husband, Mansour Ben Attieh El Timani, claiming that Mansour was from an "inferior background" and thus disgraced the family's reputation. Fatima suspects the half brothers were after her inheritance from her father. The judge forced Fatima and Mansour to divorce, and transferred guardianship of Fatima to these half brothers. Learn more from Equality Now.

Fatima refused to recognize the court's decision -- she was first imprisoned for nine months with her infant son and now has to live in an orphanage with him since she is not allowed to live by herself. Meanwhile, her husband, living with their daughter, is wanted by the government and is forced to constantly move. Her daughter is suffering from acute trauma now.

So much is wrong with this situation. This family is suffering gravely from many human rights abuses, including forced divorce and forced male guardianship. The King of Saudia Arabia has the power to reunite this family and ensure that women have the freedom to live without constant male guardianship and to remain in marriages of their choice. Please sign the petition to send a message to the King through the Saudia Arabian Ambassador and urge the immediate reunification of Fatima, Mansour and their children.