Around 30 Saudi men have sought protection from their abusive children at the country’s administrative courts.

Sources said these appeals only represent a quarter of cases received by courts from Saudi fathers since the beginning of this year.

Judges have ruled in 48 cases out of a total of 127 petitions filed by parents against their children.

Many of these parents are subjected to verbal abuse or are thrown out of the house.

The criminal court in Riyadh ruled in 13 cases of ingratitude, while the criminal court in Jeddah ruled in 10 cases, followed by Khamis Mushait, which registered eight cases, Taif and Dammam six cases and the general court in Makkah and Najran five cases.

According to a new criminal law, judges can issue the sentences they deem appropriate for ingratitude, verbal abuse and failing to provide financial or moral support.

The law effectively criminalizes failure to visit parents, assault and any form of abuse. Penalties for verbal abuse vary from a warning to four months in prison. Individuals found guilty of physically assaulting their parents, meanwhile, can face a two-year prison sentence.