A mother and father accused of physically abusing their nine-year-old son have had a District Court prison sentence overruled by the Court of Cassation. The parents deny inflicting burns on their son, and instead blame the authorities for their handling of the case. “I have never mistreated my child and I've only ever tried to improve his behavior,” the child's father said. “I've taken him to a psychologist to help him get treatment for the disturbances he suffers due to family issues.” The father said his son's school, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Family Protection Committee were to blame for “acting unwisely” and taking the case to both the media and court “without any evidence and before even holding an investigation”. The District Court in Jeddah had previously sentenced the father to two years' prison and 250 lashes of the whip, and his wife to a year's prison and 150 lashes. The case will now be heard by a different judge, with a date for the hearing expected to be set next week.
