The Siyaj Organization is appealing to the authorities in Taiz Governorate to separate the child Ruwaida M.N. from her husband, a man in his fifties, to whom she was forced into marriage to settle her family’s debt. A Siyaj representative in the governorate followed up on the procedures for transferring the child from the Criminal Investigation Department to a juvenile detention center. Lawyer Ali Al-Sarari confirmed that 12-year-old Ruwaida was married five months ago to a 55-year-old man. He explained that the organization intervened to prevent the child from being handed over to the husband or her family. Al-Sarari, quoting security officials, said the child was subjected to sexual violence and physical torture by the husband, which forced her to flee to the police, who then contacted Siyaj to intervene in the case. Siyaj reiterates its call to the Governor of Taiz, the Chief Justice, and the Public Prosecutor of the governorate to intervene immediately to secure the child’s divorce, compensate her, hold the perpetrators of her immoral marriage accountable, and take measures to guarantee the victim’s safety and security.
