Girl, 12, seeks divorce from husband, 80

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- A 12-year-old girl trying to divorce her 80-year-old husband in Saudi Arabia will receive legal help from the government, officials said.

The state-run Human Rights Commission hired a lawyer to represent the girl when her case is heard in what observers say could be a test case for banning child marriage in the Saudi Arabia, The Times of London reported Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia has no minimum age for marriage and it is common in poorer tribal areas for girls to be married at younger ages, the British newspaper said.

A draft law that would prohibit child marriage is being discussed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, and activists said they hope the case will be a turning point in the campaign to ban the practice.

The girl was married to her father's cousin last year against her wishes and those of her mother, The Times said. The girl's mother filed for divorce but withdrew her complaint without explanation.

Observers said this is the first time the Human Rights Commission intervened publicly in such a case.

"Our main concern is to safeguard the child's rights," Alanoud al-Hejailan, a commission lawyer, said. "It is in the hands of the court but the commission is firmly on the child's side."

The court is expected to rule on the matter soon. Commission officials said they would appeal if a divorce is not granted.