Saudi Marriage Between Man, 90 & Girl, 15 'Dissolved', Although Elderly Groom Is Demanding Return Of His Bride

Saudi Marriage Between Man, 90 & Girl, 15 'Dissolved'
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A marriage between a 90-year-old man and his 15-year-old bride has reportedly been dissolved.

The match, which saw the man offer her parents a 45,000 riyal (£10,500) dowry, culminated in a ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after which the distressed teenager barricaded herself in her room and refused to come out.

Suhaila Zein al-Abedin, a member of the Saudi National Association for Human Rights (NSHR), had urged authorities to intervene "as soon as possible to save this child from tragedy."

The elderly man however, described his nuptial as "legal and correct" and said the girl's behaviour on their wedding night made him "suspicious of some kind of conspiracy".

The groom eventually allowed her family to console her, but when she refused to return to him, demanded the return of the dowry.

The channel adds: "Following several sessions, the court last week ruled the end of the marriage, but said that the family had to give the dowry back.

"However, the 90-year-old said that the case was still open and that the divorce had been pronounced by the leader of the tribe and not by an official judge."

The groom told the paper he does not want the dowry back and still wants his wife to come home to him.

He added: "I am going to take the case to a court this week to rule on the conspiracy by the family to take my money. My wife's family have now taken her out to Riyadh so that I cannot reach her."

According to Saudi newspaper Al Yawm, it is not the man's first marriage to an adolescent - 18 months ago he married a Yemei girl who was also just 15.

A source said: "She stayed with him for about one month before fleeing and seeking help from a village dignitary."