It’s pretty clear that not all Saudis understand either Islam or human rights. This story from Arab News spells it out pretty clearly. Maybe the father needs a job in the new olive groves (See story below) to solve his financial problems. He needs a little jail time, too, I think.

This is the kind of negative reporting that will surely result in embarrassment for Saudis, as well it should. Once Saudis realize how far they have to move to come to terms with the 21st C., maybe they’ll get a move on.

Heavily indebted man pawns his daughter

Abdulaziz Abdulwahid | Arab News

AL-JOUF: A Saudi man in the northern city of Tabuk pawned his three-year-old daughter to a man from Jeddah and then reported her missing to police, local newspapers said yesterday.

Police searched for the girl for three days and then became suspicious after the father failed to follow up on the case. Their suspicions increased when the girl’s mother told them that the disappearance coincided with the departure of a guest from Jeddah who stayed with the family for two days.

Police investigated the case and learned that the father pawned his daughter to his creditor, whom he owed SR20,000, as a form of guarantee that he would repay the debt.