Ayman Al-Saydalani Okaz/Saudi Gazette MADINAH — The mother of a nine-year-old boy who was allegedly abused by his father in Madinah claimed that she had dreams that her ex-husband was torturing her son while she was in Yemen. The boy, identified as Adel, is currently in Madinah Maternity and Children's Hospital recovering from severe bruising and other injuries. The father, a Yemeni PhD student at Madinah Islamic University, was arrested last Friday after Adel's teacher notified his school's principal that the boy was being abused. The teacher found bruises all over Adel's body and called the police. The mother, Afrah Al-Shami, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that she suffered immensely when she was living with her ex-husband. He started beating her five days after they got married and never stopped getting violent with her ever since. “Besides hitting me, he used to call me names when he was angry. “One day, he would have killed me had it not been for my family members who saved me.” Al-Shami filed for divorce two years after their marriage and the judge approved her request and dissolved the marriage contract. At that time, she was pregnant with Adel and her ex-husband was in Madinah studying. “Seven years later, he appeared one day at my house in Yemen and said he wanted to see his son and take him to Madinah.” Al-Shami agreed to let Adel go with his father to Madinah, never thinking for a second that his father would end up hurting and abusing him. She thought the father had changed over the years. She said whenever she talked to her son over the phone she would feel that he was holding something back from her and that Adel was scared of his father. A spokesman for the National Society for Human Rights' Madinah office said the society is giving its full attention to the case and would make sure that the authorities provided Adel with full protection and shelter. Dr. Abdullah Al-Taifi, Madinah Health Affairs Director, said Adel was psychologically affected and the fact he was away from his mother had not helped. A well-known businessman in Madinah has offered to sponsor Adel and provide him with shelter.
