JEDDAH, 1 November 2004 — Rania Al-Baz’s husband is refusing to divorce her except through the court, which could take years. “He has completely refused to settle the case out of court and insists that he wants her back for the sake of the children,” said Dr. Omar Al-Khouli, lawyer of Rania, the former television broadcaster.
The first hearing of the divorce case took place last week, but because the judge did not show up and neither did her husband Muhammad Al-Fallata, the hearing was rescheduled for December. “A case might be delayed for years because of the judge. In the case of Rania, a divorce sentence might be reached after two to five years because of the judge being absent and him trying to conciliate between the disputing parties,” Al-Khouli told Arab News.
After the no-show of the judge, Al-Khouli and Al-Fallata’s lawyer agreed to meet with Al-Fallata to try and settle the case, but they were not successful.
Rania has the option of divorcing her husband, called khula in Islam, which requires her to return to him the dowry he gave her (SR15,000), but that is also done through the court. Although when Arab News asked her before whether she was willing to divorce him and return his dowry, she said yes, but at the court she said that she would not compromise on any of her rights.
Rania became the face for battered women in Saudi Arabia after her husband beat her almost to death back in April. He pinned her to the floor and repeatedly smashed her face into the marble tiles and the walls while choking her and then dumped her unconscious at a local hospital. She suffered 13 facial fractures and continues to undergo reconstructive surgery. Al-Fallata surrendered to the police on April 19 and was supposed to face an attempted murder charge but it was reduced to severe battering. He was sentenced to six months in jail and 300 lashes.
After completing a little over half his jail sentence he was released when Rania forfeited her private right for monetary compensation from her husband and requested his release after he agreed to grant her full custody of their two children.
“I hoped that he will return the favor of releasing him early from jail by granting me divorce without hassles,” she told Arab News.
