A Saudi court has sentenced an expatriate doctor to 15 days in prison after convicting him of verbally assaulting his wife, who documented the attack with a video clip she had secretly filmed in their bedroom.

Court Relies on Video and WhatsApp Messages as Evidence

The Jeddah-based court relied on the video and WhatsApp messages containing “inappropriate” language from the husband, who is of Arab nationality, as reported by Okaz, a Saudi newspaper.

Case Background and Initial Allegations

The case began when the wife filed a lawsuit claiming she had been assaulted. She supported her claims with a video clip, WhatsApp messages, and a prior police report documenting harm she had suffered.

Evidence Reviewed by the Court

The court reviewed abusive messages sent by the doctor to his wife, which included insults, threats, and blackmail. Additionally, the court examined the secretly filmed video showing a verbal altercation, in which the wife’s hair was pulled and her arm twisted while she screamed for help.

Defendant's Defense and Privacy Concerns

When confronted with the evidence, the defendant argued that his wife’s covert recording of the incident in the bedroom violated his privacy and claimed that the video and messages were fabricated. He alleged that she sent the messages to herself from his phone.

Court’s Verdict and Basis on Digital Evidence

Despite the defense’s arguments, the court ruled that the evidence provided by the wife proved the husband’s guilt, sentencing him to 15 days in jail.

Legal experts note that Saudi courts accept digital evidence in cases of verbal abuse and assault, in line with Islamic Sharia, which places the burden of proof on the claimant.