Ms Vierra submitted video evidence “to the court that she said showed her ex-husband doing drugs and verbally abusing her in front of their daughter.”
However, “the court accepted his testimony at face value, she said, while hers was legally worthless unless she could bring in male witnesses to back her up.”
This is women’s rights under Sharia. But feminists are mum about cases such as this; to say anything would be “Islamophobic.”
“Woman loses custody of daughter in Saudi Arabia after bikini photos shown to judge,” by Vivian Yee, Independent, July 18, 2019:
Bethany Vierra did not think she was asking for much.
First, she wanted a divorce from a husband she described as abusive. Then she wanted to secure custody of her 4-year-old daughter, Zeina. Then she wanted a court order to receive child support from her ex-husband, a businessman.
But as an American woman living in Saudi Arabia, Ms Vierra has navigated a punishing legal maze ever since she first asked her Saudi ex-husband for a divorce in 2017, then opened custody proceedings in November.
Though she succeeded with the divorce, her custody battle appeared to reach a dead end on Sunday, when a Saudi judge awarded custody of Zeina to her father’s mother, who lives with him, despite video evidence Ms Vierra submitted to the court that she said showed her ex-husband doing drugs and verbally abusing her in front of their daughter.
“It’s like 10,000 times worse here because so much is at risk for women when they go to court,” Ms Vierra said, near tears, in an interview on Sunday. “I genuinely thought that there would still be justice served here, and I kind of put everything on that.”
Under Saudi law, which is based on Islamic law, or sharia, mothers generally retain day-to-day custody of sons until they turn 9, and daughters until they turn 7, while fathers remain their legal guardians. The kingdom announced last year that Saudi mothers could keep custody of children after a divorce without having to file a lawsuit, as they had previously had to do, unless the father was contesting custody.
But Saudi courts prioritise ensuring that children are raised in accordance with Islam. According to court documents, the judge accepted Ms Vierra’s ex-husband’s arguments that she was unfit to raise Zeina because she was a Westerner, and furthermore, because she ran her own business, a yoga studio, leaving her with little time to devote to her child.
“Since the mother is new to Islam and a foreigner in this country and embraces customs and traditions in the way she was raised,” the judge wrote in his ruling, “we must avoid exposing Zeina to these traditions.”…
Saudi authorities granted Ms Vierra residency in March after The Times wrote about her situation. At that point, she and her ex-husband had agreed that Zeina would live with her, with weekly visitations for him. But matters soon deteriorated, and her ex-husband began pursuing full custody in court.
He told the court that Ms Vierra, who is from Washington state but moved to the kingdom in 2011 to teach at a women’s university, did not speak Arabic well, and that she was an atheist.
He also submitted photos of her in a bikini, in yoga pants and with her hair uncovered — evidence of suspect or outright forbidden dress in a country that requires women to wear loose abayas in public.
Ms Vierra said the photos were taken in the United States and were from her private social media accounts.
The court accepted his testimony at face value, she said, while hers was legally worthless unless she could bring in male witnesses to back her up. She tried to counter with videos of him that she said showed him rolling a joint to smoke hashish, talking on the phone about his marijuana use and screaming at Ms Vierra, all with Zeina in the room.
Though he acknowledged his drug use, he accused her in court of giving him the drugs and of forcing him to say he was an atheist, both of which Ms Vierra denies.
“It’s videos versus male witnesses,” Ms Vierra said. “They wouldn’t in some cases even look at the evidence that I had. It was just completely disregarded because he ‘swore to God.’ It’s all been infuriating.”…
Angemon says
“Not Without My Daughter” 2 – Riyadh Edition…
J D S says
Yep …more stupidness in Islam!
Walter Sieruk says
Saudi Arabia with all its misogyny is far worse than them just being against a girls wearing a bikini .
Islamic “culture” is not actually a real culture but cruel savage primitive murderous system of brutal religious vicious violence. As seen in that malicious murder “custom” called ‘honor killing.”
About the topic of Islamic violence which, something, takes the form of the brutal cruel vicious and murderous action that is so inappropriately y called “honor killing.” This malicious misogyny is so heinous callous and malice- filled that it’s an affront to all that is good, decent and right. In addition, the author, Brigitte Gabriel in her book which is entitled THEY MUST BE STOPPED on pages 171,172 , that “The shocking reality is that most Muslim men ,including those educated in the West ,have no objection to the degradation of women in their countries .Across the Muslim world, even in moderate Islamic countries, women’s’ rights are almost nonexistent…Women is Islam are considered unclean ,deemed inferior even to dirt.” Furthermore, as for Islamic violence against girls and women in Canada. In this just cited book it explains on page 176 that “Honor killings have also come to the West thanks to the rise of Islamic immigration. “
Thus is the Islamic “culture” of Saudi Arabia. Indeed, they must be stopped!
revereridesagain says
There is no Islamic “culture” just as there are no Islamic “men”. There may be “tribal traditions” but that is not what I count as true culture. Muslim males claim to “treasure” and “protect” their women, and do just the opposite.
CRUSADER says
The muslimas’ account of an incident is usually under suspicion
and requires double the number of witnesses than a man’s account.
Norman Gardner says
She cannot be very bright. She should have researched the law and culture of Saudi Arabia. Marrying a Muslim in Saudi Arabia automatically put her in an inferior situation.
Glen says
From what I know of Islam, she should count her blessings. She could be flogged for wearing that bikini or honor killed.
smoris says
And in Michigan a beauty pageant snatches away the crown from its winner because she declined to wear a hijab, correctly challenging the idea that it is a “fashion accessory”. We should all be as smart as that girl. She lost an empty title but she gained a lot of respect for her truth.
Walter Sieruk says
Of course with the up tight anti-female oppressive Islamic based “culture” of Saudi Arabia a terrible fuss ,at best, would be made out of the topic of a Bikini . With Islam not only the whole body of a female needs to be completely covered but even the face of a girl in supposed to be covered. Especially in Saudi Arabia . this “veil law” is enforced to the most cruel and murderous extremes.
For the Islamic kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a kingdom of callous brutal misogyny of the most heinously heartless kind there is.
An example, only a few years ago in Saudi Arabia a girls dorm caught of fire, the girls naturally rushed out of that dorm that was on fire . In their hast to escape the flames they forgot to take and put on their face veils.
Those Islamic state police of Saudi Arabia with this totally unreasonable and heartless Islamic mindset forced all the girls back into the dorm that was on fire. Only because they didn’t have their face veils. So all those girls did a horrible painful death .This is worse than tragic and sad, this is the murderous misogyny of the Islamic kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
smoris says
This woman should surely have known about that fire. How could you ever forget that story? But maybe the press carefully selects which stories it lets the people of Washington state have access to. If she didn’t know about this so-called “culture” of misogyny, then we have another powerful argument for the First Amendment. Oh, and btw, FREE TOMMY ROBINSON.
Walter Sieruk says
In the kingdom of Saudi Arabia an abusive husband or former -husband is OK The Saudi officials view that as his prerogative. By contrast the Saudi officials will not tolerate a girl or woman wearing a bikini . They believe that is not her prerogative .
The misogynistic mind-set of the Muslim males of Saudi Arabia ,and also in other Islamic nations, is so cruel and brutal that it even extents to FGM.
This heinous Islamic custom of misogyny has been exposed in the book by Brigitte Gabriel which is entitled THEY MUST BE STOPPED. For on page 178 it reveals to the reader that “One of the most devastating practices to young girls of the Islamic world is female genital mutilation. Young girls have their clitoris removed without anesthesia…”
Rubiconcrest says
By Saudi standards this woman is being treated fairly. Women are inferior to men in rights.
CRUSADER says
Saudis are wrong.
Their notions are not reflective of God’s blessing
and are not consistent with humanity.
Anjuli Pandavar says
John, “I have no sympathy for her other than her stupidity. Married a Muslim in Saudi Arabia?
What did she expect?”
—
There’s a part of me that says this, too. There’s another part of me that says most such victims simply didn’t know what Islam is, how a Muslim male could end up behaving, or what legal status she might have in Saudi Arabia (or any country other than her own, for that matter). There is yet a third side that recognises how overwhelming the need for love is and how all-consuming finding love can be, even if it merely appears to be love. All of these collide in me every time I read a story like this. Which one prevails isn’t always certain.
If it’s someone I know personally, I know that if she asks my advice, she would not listen to me, no matter what I said. She is already hooked on a dream that I expect only neurobiologists and poets can explain. I realise that all she wants when she asks for “advice” is confirmation that she’s doing the right thing. Everything else will fly right by. I shan’t say how I feel about that, but I have come to the position that it’s happened: she’s fallen in love with a Muslim. Now there’s nothing for it but that she go through with the whole horrible experience to the end and I can only hope that she comes out the other side stronger and wiser, rather than damaged or dead.
Where I do lose it, is when she has already become aware of what’s in store for her while she was in the West with her child, and then *still* goes to her husband’s country *with her child*. This is when I find myself taking your stance.
*** If any reader here is a non-Muslim woman already in love with a Muslim man, NEVER take either yourself or your child to his country. Your only chance of escape is to divorce him *in your own country* (find any excuse) and NEVER let him go anywhere with your child by himself. NEVER leave any of his family members alone with your child. Remember: 1. the child is HIS. It is HIS seed that he planted in you. You are nothing but the soil in which his seed grew (yes, that’s their wonderful science at work); and 2. Whatever you may be, his child is *Muslim* and there is no way on earth that either he or any of his family is going allow that child to be brought up as anything but Muslim. THEY WILL KILL THE CHILD BEFORE THEY LET THAT HAPPEN. Yes, you have made a huge mistake, but you can still save yourself and your child. Be grateful that you’ve experienced love; now save your life and that of your child. Love will come again, with someone safer and more deserving of you as a human being.
James Lincoln says
Anjuli Pandavar,
Excellent post, my complements.
Still, a totally preventive approach is best: a non-Muslim woman should never, ever get involved – in any way – with a Muslim man. Never. Especially if she comes from a Western country. Absolutely nothing good will become of the relationship – very high risk…
James Lincoln says
Typo compliments…
smoris says
“you can still save your life and that of your child”
What did you not understand in this story? There is no way that this woman can save her child. She cannot be sure that she can save herself. She has lost custody of her kid. That means she can’t save her. Can she even escape herself? It is more doubtful the more she attempts to fight this family. The father is a “businessman”. He has the ear of the court. She has literally nothing. Now she has lost the child. This is a tragedy, but don’t be silly enough to suggest that at least she can “save her life and that of her child”. Go back and read the story again.
Anjuli Pandavar says
Did you understand this: “*** If any reader here is a non-Muslim woman already in love with a Muslim man…”?
Fred Dawes says
My God girls and woman are all slaves inside Islam; “Its away of living”, also inside Saudi Arabia all guys LOVE it; so stop with the BS, MUSLIMS LIKE IT And can do what that guy want’s to do with his woman/girls and don’t forget goats!
gravenimage says
Saudi Arabia: Woman loses custody of daughter after abusive ex-husband shows judge photos of her in bikini
…………………….
I doubt it would even take this much. Usually if the husband–or just the husband’s family–wants to take the children, they get to under Shari’ah.
CRUSADER says
Ever seen that 1991 movie, “Not Without My Daughter!” ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Without_My_Daughter_(film)
(Women, beware of marrying into Islam or being in a relationship
or an intractable association with Muslim males. Free yourselves.)
In this case of the movie story, the Islamic dad is Iranian,
as if it makes any difference in how he subjugates the women in his life….
The way he smacks Sally Field around, she reverts into the Flying Nun!!!
————————————————————————————————
In 1984, an Iranian physician, Sayyed Bozorg “Moody” Mahmoody wants to visit Iran with his American family. He claims that his Iranian family wants to meet his wife Betty and daughter Mahtob, and asks them to come with him for a two-week visit.
Despite her deep fears about visiting Iran, particularly due to the Iranian Hostage Crisis of several years earlier, Betty reluctantly agrees. Upon their arrival, they are all greeted warmly by Moody’s family, but shortly before their flight back to the United States, Moody announces to his wife that he wishes for them to stay in Iran. Betty realizes that she has been deceived by her husband, even though Moody took an oath that they would return to the United States, swearing on the sacred Quran. When she protests, Moody strikes her, and nobody in Moody’s family sympathises with her.
Moody becomes more hostile and abusive, preventing her from leaving the house or using the telephone. Betty briefly manages to visit the American Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy, but is told that she is now an Iranian citizen since she is married to an Iranian, and as long as she lives in Iran, she cannot leave the country without her husband’s written consent and has no parental rights over her daughter. Moody, alarmed by Betty’s absence from the house, threatens to kill her if she tries anything again.
Knowing that her chances of escape are minuscule, Betty conforms to her husband’s wishes in order to gain Moody’s trust. By chance, during a trip to the marketplace, she meets a sympathetic shopkeeper who overhears her telephone conversations with the Swiss Embassy and puts her in contact with a pair of humanitarian Iranians, Hossein and his sister, who offer to help Betty and Mahtob in their passage back to the United States. Betty accepts Hossein’s assistance, especially after he mentions that Mahtob could be at risk of being forced into marriage at nine years old or be chosen to serve in the military as a child soldier.
The plan becomes complicated when Betty receives news from the U.S that her father is seriously ill and may be dying. Moody allows Betty to return to see her dying father, but will not let Mahtob go with her. Betty decides to wait to return to the United States with Mahtob, but Moody unknowingly foils her by having her booked on a flight several days early thanks to his relatives’ contacts in the airport.
Betty eventually gets what seems to be her last chance to escape when Moody is suddenly called to the clinic for an emergency. On the pretense of going to buy presents for her father, Betty takes Mahtob and they contact Hossein, who manages to send Betty and Mahtob off with some Iranian smugglers, and using fake identity documents, they make their way past the checkpoints.
Despite the difficult and very dangerous journey, Betty and Mahtob are eventually dropped off in a street in Ankara, where they see the flag of the American Embassy in the distance. The film’s end title cards reveal that Betty and Mahtob eventually made it back home to the United States, and Betty became a successful author and dedicates herself to helping those in need.
***(Note the Islamic themes of DECEPTION in the story about abandonment
of love and the need for survival when being abused!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TSmbayUJCo
James Lincoln says
Thanks CRUSADER. I just ordered this from Netflix, it’s on backorder…
t. says
Thanks CRUSADER, for this concise summary! I never watched a movie in as little time as I did now.
Less than a minute and I loved it!
gravenimage says
I have not had a chance to see the movie–but I have read Betty Mahmoody’s book. Harrowing. She is very brave.
Antiislamicman says
Islam is crazy and stupid all at the same time. They would be shocked to see thousands of people in bikinis at the beach.
These people are doomed, that is their punishment . So his abuse was fine her bikini was the problem.
fredoniahead says
It’s amazing the contrast with the West. In Saudi Arabia women get raped by the courts and the courts favor the men. In America, and other Western countries, the opposite is true and men get raped by the courts.
Sounds like Saudi Arabia would be a good place to send spoiled, whiny, feminist, American women who are too shallow to know how good they have it.
Giacomo Latta says
Avoid Islam like the plague it is.
Larry says
Next time don’t marry someone from the middle east. Lesson learned. THE HARD WAY!!!
Muslim2019 says
All praises be to Allah the father has gotten custody of his daughter to save her from the evils of this western mother who has no core values. Why marry these western women when you have so many noble, submissive, chaste women in Saudi? Why marry these deflowered dishonorable women who usually have sex out of marriage? Why would you enter such a woman who the probability of her having pass many men before?
Kudos to this child she will have a healthy Islamic upbringing rather than these ignorant western values transferred to this little girl, she could end up being devalued like her mother.
Angemon says
“Why would you enter such a woman who the probability of her having pass many men before? ”
Didn’t your ISIS correligionists did that with sex slaves? Doesn’t yur religion allows for “temporary marriages”?
“she could end up being devalued like her mother.”
Devalued according to whom, the degenerates so lacking in self-confidence to the point of seeing nothing wrong in marrying edler men with 9-year-old children?…
Robert_k says
As far as we know – perhaps his wife did not look all that flattering in a bikini and the judge threw the book at her. It could happen here in the US. After all, the US under Trump is a racist misogynist society as the Squad tells us.