Dad denies burning son’s genitals

A Saudi father denied he used a hot iron to burn his little son’s genitals to stop his involuntary urination, saying the burns were caused by an accident, a newspaper said on Wednesday.

The unnamed man from the Western port of Yanbu told police a cup of hot tea fell on the four-year-old boy at home, causing burns to his lower abdomen and genitals, Almadina said.

“I was surprised when I was summoned by the police and by the charges made against me by the boy’s uncle (ex-wife’s brother)…these charges are untrue,” he said.

“The boy’s uncle just wants to take revenge after I divorced his sister and he is now trying to take me to court for alimony, custody and other issues…I have witnesses who will testify in this case.”

In a report last week, Saudi newspapers said the man’s ex-wife filed a compliant against her divorced husband for burning the genitals of her son to prevent him from urination during his night sleep.

It quoted a human rights activist in the Kingdom as saying his group would support the mother against her ex-husband at court.

"We will meet the mother and her son to verify the torture and make sure she will get protection and have custody of her son," said Ibrahim Al Nahyati, assistant director of the Saudi Human Rights Commission in the central town of Makkah.

“If her accusations are true, then the Commission will support her at court…this is a flagrant violation of children’s rights and human rights in the kingdom.”

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