There was a public outrage and widespread condemnation of parents filmed tying the feet of their five-month-old baby girl in a hanger, and then the mother beating them with a stick while the child cries out in pain.

Several human rights bodies in the Kingdom and users on social networking sites have called on the authorities to punish the perpetrators if the video turns out to be true.

The secretary general of the Human Rights Commission (HRC), Khalid Al-Fakhri, said the alleged behavior of the parents violated the child’s rights. He urged the police to investigate and track down the parents and the person who filmed the alleged abuse.

He said Saudi Arabia was among the first nations in the world to sign the Convention on the Rights of the Child. “The convention protects children against such abuse.” He said it was a blessing to have a child, particularly since many people cannot have children of their own.

He said that if the parents are mentally ill, then the law allows for the government to take custody of the child. The law also allows for fines and imprisonment for child abuse, he said.

The general supervisor of the HRC in Asir, Hadi Al-Yami, said it appears the parents have a sick desire to gain notoriety from their actions. “The two look as if it is a game to torture the baby and film it, to get many viewers and become famous. This is without regard to the health of this weak little creature,” he said.

Al-Yami said it seems that the parents have no mercy in their hearts, probably as a result of poor upbringing. He said the HRC was committed to preventing and tackling child abuse in the Kingdom, in compliance with Islamic law. Children should grow up in a safe and secure environment, he said.

The Saudi Society for Child Welfare’s Abdulaziz Almsheeti called on the police to find and punish the parents. “Such scenes might encourage others to abuse children. This is completely unacceptable in our communities. The two parents acted in an inhuman manner when they battered the baby and filmed their actions,” he said.