Update: Saudi Child Brides

The case of a 12-year old child bride in Saudi Arabia, which had prompted talk of an overhaul of marriage laws in the country (see Jan. 27 post on this blog), has taken an unexpected turn: the child's mother dropped the suit and the young wife now claims her marriage to an 80-year old man was consensual. For details, consult the pieces below. According to the Associated Press, the dropped suit coincides with a reconciliation between the child's mother and her husband, who arranged his daughter's marriage.

It remains unclear what, if any, effects this new development will have on the Saudi government's reform plans.

http://www.startribune.com/world/83365772.html

http://203.197.197.71/presentation/leftnavigation/news/international/12-year-old-saudi-girl-revokes-divorce-plea.aspx

Burma: Son returned to mother after media appeal

The Burmese army returned a 14-year old boy to his mother after she had pleaded for his release on BBC and Radio Free Asia. The boy had been forcibly recruited after a soldier lured him away from his mother, offering him alcohol. This recruiting practice is common in Burma, according to this BBC piece.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8491376.stm

Guinea: Hope for Stability?

Guinea is located in West Africa, bordering Mali and Liberia among other countries.

The country has long been haunted by political instability. In December 2008, Moussa Dadis Camara, a local military leader, seized control in a coup. After a brutal crackdown on protesters which claimed 150 victims, Camara was badly wounded in an assassination attempt. Now, a new civilian prime minister offers the prospect of free elections in the near future.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2010/01/2010126203819945322.html

Saudi Arabia: A major overhaul of the judicial system?

This article from Gulf News suggests that Saudi Arabia is about to overhaul its justice system. The country plans to adopt "many provisions" from judicial systems in the Western world, although with the caveat that any reforms must still be in line with Shariah law.

The article has few details, so it is hard to tell just what the extent of the planned reforms will be at this point. However, the piece also hints that the government will soon announce a new law to curb underage marriages, a major problem in the country and in neighboring Yemen. Stay tuned for more details.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia-to-enact-law-on-underage-marriages-1.574578