A man, 70, married a 15-year-old girl in Saudi Arabia after her family sold her for the equivalent of $20,000. According to CNN Jan. 8, no one was aware of the marriage until the man complained to a local official about his bride's parents taking her back and he felt ripped off. He didn't give his name to the CNN, but human rights workers assigned to the case believe the two got into an argument and the girl ran back to her parents.
The teen bride is from a village in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemen border. Her father is thought to be Yemeni and her mother to be Saudi.
The Asir branch of the Human Rights Commission is a Saudi government-supported organization ready to offer the 15-year-old as much help as she needs. This includes court fees if she disputes the marriage due to her age. In many cases, if a girl is under the age of 18, she must have a court's consent before getting married.
A member of the Saudi National Association for Human Rights said this looks less like a marriage and more like the girl was actually sold. If this turns out to be true in the investigation, her parents will be held responsible.
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