At 17 Amina Al-Jeffery was taken by her father to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia in 2012, he claimed to ‘save her life’. She had allegedly kissed a boy. Amina has dual nationality.
Today the judge Mr Justice Holman ruled she must be allowed back to the UK as she had been ‘deprived of her liberty.’ Amina Al-Jeffery father must help his daughter to return to the UK.
Her father Mohammed Al-Jeffery tried to gag the press from the reporting the story . Mr Al-Jeffery denied holding his daughter against her will. When Amina Al-Jeffery escaped from her father and ended up in a refuge, Mr Al-Jeffery had his daughter brought back home and an order was made to effectively keep her under his control.
The real problem with this case is that despite a very clear ruling that there is very little that can be done to enforce the order that the judge has clearly ruled on that Amina comes home. Her father chose to spend many years in the UK.
She has spent most of her life in the UK and her mother and sibling still live in Swansea.
The reality is Amina case is not isolated many young girls are forced abroad by their families. Amina Al-Jeffery contacted her friends to try and get back to the UK. There are still big obstacles in Amina Al-Jeffery way.
Amina has suffered physical abuse and she also said that her father had strangled her.
Forced to live a lie.
Forced to live a life that she was not brought up into.
An amazing human rights lawyer, Anne-Marie Hutchinson QC ensured this case came to court. After Amina contacted Anne- Marie. By email. She was described as the most ‘compelling client.’
We hope that the media coverage and the UK government can ensure Amina comes home before the 11th of September, where she can rebuild her life.
Tagged Amina Al-Jeffery, aneeta prem
AI abuse in schools is not a reason to remove every photograph. It is a reason to use images with stronger consent, clearer purpose, and better safeguarding judgment.
Afghanistan's child marriage is worsening as hunger, aid cuts and Taliban family law place girls at risk. Aneeta Prem writes on why silence is not consent.
The death of Twisha Sharma has reopened a global question about dowry abuse, coercive control, family reputation and why women are still judged by what their families can provide.
Laws can punish abuse after it happens. Preventing dishonour abuse requires something harder: educating children early, supporting victims safely, and challenging the beliefs that allow coercion, fear and control to thrive behind closed doors.
A Child Cannot Consent to Marriage. The Nottingham child marriage case shows why UK law had to change. Since February 2023, under-18 marriage has been a criminal offence in England and Wales, including some overseas and religious ceremonies, even where coercion is not proved.
Capacity, Consent and Dishonour Abuse: Why “no capacity means no consent” is the safeguard the world is still failing to apply