Rahaf al-Qunun: Saudi woman pleads for asylum (2024)

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Rahaf al-Qunun: Saudi woman pleads for asylum (1)Image source, EPA/THAI IMMIGRATION BUREAU

An 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family at the weekend has reiterated her plea for asylum in Canada, the United States, Australia or the UK.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun refused to board a flight from Bangkok to Kuwait on Monday and barricaded herself into her airport hotel room.

She said she feared her family would kill her for renouncing Islam.

She is now staying at a Thai government shelter while the UN refugee agency assesses her case.

Her father and brother have arrived but she is refusing to see them.

Renunciation of Islam, known as apostasy, is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.

Thai immigration officials had initially said she should return to Kuwait.

In another development, Ms Mohammed al-Qunun said her passport had been returned. A Saudi diplomat had reportedly seized it when she flew into Thailand from Kuwait on Saturday.

She has told the BBC that she is fine, and hoping to be granted asylum in a third country.

She captured the attention of social media users around the world by live-tweeting every twist and turn in her story. Her brand new Twitter account attracted 50,000 followers in a day and a half.

What are her grounds for claiming asylum?

"My life is in danger," Ms Mohammed al-Qunun told Reuters news agency. "My family threatens to kill me for the most trivial things."

Her father is the governor of al-Sulaimi, a town in the northern Saudi province of Hail.

A spokesperson for her family told the BBC that they did not wish to comment and all they cared about was the young woman's safety.

Human Rights Watch and other campaign groups have expressed grave concerns for Ms Mohammed al-Qunun.

She had travelled to Thailand for a connecting flight to Australia, where she originally hoped to seek asylum.

On Tuesday morning she retweeted her original appeal for asylum, adding in a subsequent tweet: "I want Canada to give me asylum."

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The Australian government said it was "pleased" the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) was assessing her claim.

"Any application by Ms al-Qunun for a humanitarian visa will be carefully considered once the UNHCR process has concluded," a Department of Home Affairs official said.

The UN agency said it was "very grateful" that officials in Thailand had not deported her but her asylum claim would take "several days" to assess.

Saudi Arabia's embassy in Thailand has denied that its government is seeking her extradition, Reuters news agency reports.

How is Thailand handling her case?

On Monday evening local time, Thailand's chief of immigration police, Surachate Hakparn, said the country would "take care of her as best we can".

"She is now under the sovereignty of Thailand; no-one and no embassy can force her to go anywhere.

"Thailand is a land of smiles. We will not send anyone to die."

Image source, Reuters

Mr Surachate said he would meet Saudi diplomats to clarify Thailand's decision.

Thailand's immigration chief told Reuters any meeting between the young woman and her father would have to be approved by the UN.

Thailand is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention and provides no legal protection to asylum seekers, although there are more than 100,000 refugees in the country.

An injunction filed by Thai lawyers in Bangkok criminal court to stop the deportation was dismissed earlier on Monday.

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Rahaf al-Qunun: Saudi woman pleads for asylum (2024)

FAQs

Where is Rahaf Mohammed Al Qunun now? ›

Rahaf Mohammed eventually was able to get to Canada after Twitter pleas from detention in Bangkok went viral. Rahaf Mohammed (formerly Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun) in Toronto on Jan. 14, 2019, after she was granted asylum.

What is Rahaf matter? ›

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun is a Saudi woman who fled from her family and refused to leave a Bangkok hotel room until she gets asylum in any foreign countries. The story of Al-Qunun went viral in social media as she updated the events live via twitter since she arrived Bangkok airport.

Why did Rahaf Mohammed leave Saudi Arabia? ›

She had intended to claim asylum in Australia and escape her family who she says abused her and threatened to kill her for, among other reasons, leaving Islam, an act that is a capital offence under Saudi law.

Who was the Saudi girl who ran away to Canada? ›

"This is Rahaf Alqunun, a very brave new Canadian," Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said arm-in-arm with the Saudi woman in Toronto's airport. Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun smiled broadly as she exited an airport arrival door sporting a Canada zipper hoodie and a U.N.

Who is the Saudi girl getting asylum in Canada? ›

The Saudi teenager who fled her family and was granted asylum in Canada said Tuesday that she was fortunate to have escaped. But many other young women in Saudi Arabia like her are not able to get away and take control of their lives, Rahaf Mohammed, 18, said at a press conference Tuesday. “I am one of the lucky ones.

Can an Indian man marry a Saudi girl? ›

Resident in Saudi Arabia, a male Indian or any other foreign national IS permitted to take a Saudi woman as a first, but NOT as a second wife. Islam permits polygyny to any nationality. However, Saudi marriage law limits foreign men to non Saudis as cowives.

Who is the woman locked up in Saudi Arabia? ›

Saudi Arabia's authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Manahel al-Otaibi, a 29-year-old fitness instructor and women's rights activist, who has been sentenced to 11 years in prison because of her choice of clothing and support for women's rights, Amnesty International and ALQST said today.

Who is the American woman divorced from Saudi husband is trapped in Saudi Arabia? ›

In 2019, Carly Morris and her daughter Tala were stuck in the Gulf kingdom after her Saudi ex-husband persuaded the two to visit the country. Just a few months ago, Morris was able to return to the US but was forced to leave Tala behind following a custody dispute.

What is concept matter? ›

Matter: Matter is any substance which has mass and occupies space. All physical objects are composed of matter, in the form of atoms and molecules, which are in turn composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Where is Rahaf? ›

Rahaf has no contact with her family in Saudi Arabia. Rahaf was able to seek asylum in Canada, where she was welcomed when she landed at the airport. After connecting with other Saudi refugees in Toronto, Rahaf (center) now wishes to go to college.

What is matter in psychology? ›

Abstract Mattering is an ideal state of affairs consisting of two complementary psychological experiences: feeling valued and adding value. Human beings can feel valued by, and add value to, self, others, work, and community.

What is matter in astrophysics? ›

Matter is defined as any substance that has mass and occupies space. But there's more to the universe than the matter we can see. Dark matter and dark energy are mysterious substances that affect and shape the cosmos, and scientists are still trying to figure them out.

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