Court of Cassation annulled a Jeddah general court's ruling of 50 lashes in a public place a man was sentenced to after he was found guilty of physically and verbally abusing his wife over a dispute. After reviewing the ruling, the Court of Cassation said that the husband was legally entitled to discipline his wife. The Court also argued, according to a report it received later on the case, that the couple had already reconciled. Therefore there was no need of such a punishment, it concluded. Although the couple reconciled during the trial at the general court, the abuse ruling was upheld. The wife, however, would have the right to forgive her husband and spare him the punishment. – Okaz __
