Sisters to sue dad for marriage bar

Aug 31, 2010 |

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Dubai, Aug. 30: In an unusual legal fight, six Saudi sisters have decided to file a lawsuit against their father for repeatedly having turned down their suitors and not allowing them to get married.

The women, all in their 30s, have written a letter to Mr Sultan Bin Zahem, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Advocacy Committee, demanding that they be given the authority to get married.

They allege that their father always turned down their suitors claiming that there was no woman in his family to negotiate the marriage terms.

“In the letter, the women alleged that their father has rejected many suitors even though they were pious men and of good conduct,” Saudi Okaz newspaper reported.

Mr Bin Zahem said the women can file a lawsuit against their guardian and the judge will summon him to ask him why he has not allowed his daughters to get married.

If his reasons were not convincing, the judge would use his authority to approve their marriages to appropriate men.

The girls’ complaint cannot be considered as disobedience of parents because they were demanding the right to their private social lives, the official was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The sisters are now preparing to file a suit against their father.

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