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| Saudi Arabia: Women face flogging and jail for checking husband's phone | Saudi Arabia: Women face flogging and jail for checking husband's phone |
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| Women in Saudi Arabia face flogging and imprisonment if they check their husband’s phone without his permission, a government official has warned. | Women in Saudi Arabia face flogging and imprisonment if they check their husband’s phone without his permission, a government official has warned. |
| The offence would be prosecuted as a violation of privacy because it is not covered in the country’s Islamic laws, senior lawyer Mohammad al-Temyat has said. | The offence would be prosecuted as a violation of privacy because it is not covered in the country’s Islamic laws, senior lawyer Mohammad al-Temyat has said. |
| The issue has been a source of growing debate in the kingdom, with high profile cases leading to almost 35,000 tweets under a trending Arabic hashtag which translates as “Flogging of A Woman Checking Her Husband’s Phone”. | The issue has been a source of growing debate in the kingdom, with high profile cases leading to almost 35,000 tweets under a trending Arabic hashtag which translates as “Flogging of A Woman Checking Her Husband’s Phone”. |
| Mr Al-Temyat, a legal adviser who described himself as a "member" of the Saudi government’s Family Security Programme, confirmed in an interview with the Makkah newspaper that individuals would be brought before the court if a lawsuit was filed against them. | |
| The legal guidance comes in spite of much-vaunted attempts at social reform under King Salman. The Family Security Programme is part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, which was established by a Royal decree and designed to improve access to social services and develop local communities under the objectives of “Vision 2030”. | The legal guidance comes in spite of much-vaunted attempts at social reform under King Salman. The Family Security Programme is part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, which was established by a Royal decree and designed to improve access to social services and develop local communities under the objectives of “Vision 2030”. |
| A female twitter user said “They [men] get annoyed of women ‘only’ checking her husband’s phone, whilst a woman lives all of her life in an ‘inquisition’. Whether that is regarding her clothing, sayings or behaviour.” | A female twitter user said “They [men] get annoyed of women ‘only’ checking her husband’s phone, whilst a woman lives all of her life in an ‘inquisition’. Whether that is regarding her clothing, sayings or behaviour.” |
| Another person called Salim tweeted saying that in order to make marital life “less complicated, a husband should share his private life with his life so they can live a life free from suspicion and doubt”. | Another person called Salim tweeted saying that in order to make marital life “less complicated, a husband should share his private life with his life so they can live a life free from suspicion and doubt”. |
| On the other hand, Abdirahman highlights other significant problems in the Saudi community, stating: “what about a man who beats his wife? What about a man who does not give his wife her rights? The law should do something about this too.” | On the other hand, Abdirahman highlights other significant problems in the Saudi community, stating: “what about a man who beats his wife? What about a man who does not give his wife her rights? The law should do something about this too.” |
| In his interview with Mahhah, Mr Al-Temyat said checking someone’s phone was a Ta’zir offence, coming under judicial discretion because it has no definition or prescribed punishment under Islam. | In his interview with Mahhah, Mr Al-Temyat said checking someone’s phone was a Ta’zir offence, coming under judicial discretion because it has no definition or prescribed punishment under Islam. |
| He said the law would apply to all individuals checking their partner’s or friend’s phone, if there were witnesses or evidence that the offence took place. | He said the law would apply to all individuals checking their partner’s or friend’s phone, if there were witnesses or evidence that the offence took place. |
| The judge’s ruling will be based on the damage caused to the victim, the person whose privacy has been violated, he said. | The judge’s ruling will be based on the damage caused to the victim, the person whose privacy has been violated, he said. |
| As a result, the judge’s verdict on the type of punishment will be based on caused damage, deciding between jail, receiving lashes and a fine - or possibly all three. | As a result, the judge’s verdict on the type of punishment will be based on caused damage, deciding between jail, receiving lashes and a fine - or possibly all three. |