Court reunites divorced couple

A SAUDI couple forced to divorce on grounds they were not from equal tribal backgrounds have been reunited by a new court, created as part of judicial reforms.

The marriage of Mansour al-Timani and his wife Fatima Azzaz was annulled after Azzaz’s half- brothers persuaded judges at a first instance court in 2006 that Timani’s tribal background was not prestigious enough for his wife’s family.

The case drew international criticism from human rights groups, but a new cassation court, created under reforms instituted by King Abdullah, has said the couple may be reunited.

“Our lawyer told us that the Supreme Court overturned the previous ruling,” Timani told Reuters yesterday.

“We still can’t believe this happened. May God give King Abdullah a long life since it was he who set up this court.”