The Makkah Court of Appeals has sentenced a woman to three years in prison and 100 lashes for running away from home and coming back pregnant.
The woman was referred to the Girls’ Welfare Establishment in Makkah to serve her sentence. The prosecution accused the woman of absconding in the company of a person who has also been prosecuted. The woman, a divorcee, disappeared and came back home pregnant following which she was referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution.
The Ministry of Social Affairs said that the women’s welfare establishments have a total of 201 girls accused of moral and criminal cases. The report said that 21 girls are accused of murder, 81 of involvement in moral cases, 15 charged with assault and eight are accused of taking and promoting drugs in addition to six cases of deviation, 10 of pregnancy and 60 cases suspected of deviation.
The ministry said that the highest number of inmates at 83 are aged between 15 and 20. Girls aged between 21 and 25 number 65 while there are 53 girls in the age group of 26 to 30.
The report further stated that the number of girls in welfare establishments with a university degree reached 10, while the number of high school degree holders was 53. There were 30 married women and an equal number of divorcees and five widows. In addition, there were 144 single women.
The number of those whose files were withheld reached 1,013, 766, of which there were 16 for prison sentences, 100 waiting for implementation of rulings, 11 waiting to go back to their families, 44 seeking amnesty and three for marriage rulings.
The report said that the Ministry of Social Affairs had announced its intention to rent its earlier headquarters in Jeddah to take care of girls with prison sentences to lighten the load on the Girls Welfare Establishments in Makkah.
The report also said that the building would need certain improvisations as it is an educational facility. The modification includes a space of at least 1,200 square meters and to be located away from schools and industrial areas.
Divorcee gets 3 years, 100 lashes for adultery
