First case brought to court under new Wadeema’s law

Officially known as the Child Protection Law, the law was brought into force in June and is often referred to as Wadeema’s Law after a young Emirati girl tortured to death by her father and his girlfriend.

DUBAI // An unemployed father who has refused to grant his children official documents is believed to be the first case referred to court under the so-called Wadeema’s Law.

Mohammed Ali Rustom, Dubai advocate general and head of family and juveniles prosecution, said the man was would be tried under article 60 of the law, enacted to protect children’s rights.

Officially known as the Child Protection Law, it was brought into force in June and is often referred to as Wadeema’s Law after a young Emirati girl tortured to death by her father and his girlfriend.

Mr Rustom said the man’s wife reported him to police and said they have five children together – aged 12, 11, 10, 6 and 4.

She claims he deliberately refused to issue the children with documents because their first child was conceived outside of wedlock.

“She said that he approached authorities to issue his 12-year-old daughter and when they refused because she was the result of an illegal relation, he became stubborn and refused to apply for the other four children,” said Mr Rustom.

Investigations revealed that the couple and their children live in one room with the wife’s father and are supported by the Community Development Authority.