I hope the news I read in a local paper was not true, or at least the report was incomplete and lacks some details that if made available could have provided a different picture. I also hope that the bodies involved in the report will issue a clarification telling us whether the report was correct or not. If it was correct, then I think we are facing a real problem in this country.
The report said that a Saudi citizen identified as Adnan lost a court case when he asked to be reunited with his wife and children. The wife left the house and went to court demanding custody over their children on the grounds that the husband has brought a satellite dish into the house to watch foreign television stations. The husband told the judge that he considered it natural to watch television at home and that the stations they watch are mostly Arab stations.
The judge, however, ruled that the wife should be given custody over the children since the husband must have known that the programs aimed by satellite television would adversely affect the children and could spoil them. The judge also said that when considering custody over children what is best in their interest should always be taken into account; based on this the court has decided to reject the case filed by the husband considering him unfit to have custody over his children.
As a result of that ruling the husband has not been able to see his children for three years now.
I am not joking. That was exactly what was reported. I think we need an urgent clarification from the court or the judge who issued the ruling telling us whether there were other considerations not mentioned in the report or whether the paper told the whole truth. If the report proved to be true, then we are facing a serious issue that needs to be addressed.
Is there any house in this country that has no satellite dish on its roof? Even if there were, these would be so few their number would be insignificant.
Satellite television may be a controversial issue, but it has nevertheless become part of our daily life. I find it extremely surprising for satellite television to be used as an excuse to destroy a family and deny a father the right to see his children.
