MAKKAH, 22 September 2007 — An Egyptian woman, who was married to a Saudi with a wife and children, says that after her husband died the husband of her stepdaughter used the legal system to issue her an exit-only visa and have her sent back to Egypt without her children.
Sahar, who didn’t want her family name published, said the man who took over as the family’s mahram (legal male guardian) lied to her about his motives for needing power of attorney to organize details of the inheritance of her deceased husband.
Instead of securing inheritances for her and her children, he used this power of attorney to push her out of the family nest, depriving her of custody over her children. “I wrongly thought he was the man to trust for my kids’ rights, but instead he took advantage of the authorization and issued me a final exit visa and, against my will, he sent me to my country.”
Sahar said she was legally married to the man and showed documentation to prove it.
“I lived with my husband in happiness for seven years,” she said. “His first wife and sons were always harassing me and trying to kick me out of the house. But my husband defended me and asked them repeatedly to respect me and love their brothers.”
It isn’t clear how many children are involved, but from the way Sahar spoke of them it involves at least two children, both of whom were under the age of seven when her husband died. She didn’t say when her husband passed away from an undisclosed illness.
“After my husband’s death, they started harassing me and asked me to go back to my country,” she said. “I refused and insisted to stay for the sake of my kids.”
Sahar has retained a lawyer in Makkah to fight for her rights in this custody battle. Meanwhile, she said that she continues to have no access to her children.
“I live in a mess and grieve without my kids,” she said. “I don’t know what has happened to them.”
