HOME INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION HOW WE CAN HELP KRISTINE UHLMAN CV RESOURCES
My Story
How I Coped with the Abduction of my Children to Saudi Arabia.
How did it happen? I have had to grapple with the sacrifice of doing what is in the best interest of my children. Here is my story:
During these years I have gained recognition as an expert in Islamic law as it relates to women’s rights, divorce, and child custody, and have authored several peer-reviewed articles published in law journals on this topic.
How did it happen? I have had to grapple with the sacrifice of doing what is in the best interest of my children. Here is my story:
- In response to escalating domestic violence, I smuggled my son Hani, age 2, and daughter Maisoon, age 3, out of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in June of 1981.
- Because of their assistance in returning us to the States, US Department of State personnel and the US Ambassador to Kuwait were deported.
- On Sept. 11, 1981, my children were violently abducted from in front of our home in Denver by a man dressed as Santa Claus. Maisoon and Hani were flown back to Saudi Arabia.
- The Saudi Ambassador to the United States sponsored my return to the Kingdom to litigate for custody in May of 1983. I was the first American woman granted a residency permit (Iqama) to work in the Kingdom as a Civil Engineer.
- On my arrival, I was arrested and imprisoned in the Central Riyadh Women’s Prison. I was the first American woman to be imprisoned in Saudi Arabia.
- I fought for access to my children before the Islamic, Shari’a court, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. I was the first American woman to seek justice in the Saudi court system – I lost. The court found that my ‘foreignness’ would harm my children’s religious upbringing.
- Over the next 15 years I was in a constant struggle to maintain lines of communication with my children and manage limited visitations in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf Wars. During this period of time I saw my children 5 times, under supervised visitation.
- At the age of 18, Hani returned to the States to attend college. Hani began to work with me on workshops sponsored by the California State Bar Association on Islamic law and custody abduction risk factors unique to the Islamic countries.
- Following nearly 23 years of separation from my daughter, now a medical doctor and career woman in Saudi Arabia, we have reunited.
During these years I have gained recognition as an expert in Islamic law as it relates to women’s rights, divorce, and child custody, and have authored several peer-reviewed articles published in law journals on this topic.
Hani, Kristine Uhlman and Maisoon on our first visit after the abduction. Dharahn, Saudi Arabia 1983
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Kristine [Uhlman], Hani and Maisoon. Exeter, England 1980
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