Saudi television presenter Rania Al-Baz whose near-death assault by her ex-husband Mohammed Al-Fallata was widely reported, has fled the country and decided not to return. Reports of her alleged escape aboard a foods lorry bound for Bahrain and from there to Paris were posted on Arabic websites two days ago. The reports claimed that she was prevented from traveling when she went to Jeddah International Airport last week for a trip to Paris where she was supposed to attend a conference on womenâs rights. She has been traveling to Paris regularly to continue her plastic surgery treatment of multiple facial fractures caused by her ex-husbandâs brutal beatings.A report in The Guardian newspaper confirmed that she was in Paris and that she âwonât go backâ. She said that she was looking for a place to live and find work either in Paris or London. As for the reason why she fled, Rania told the British paper: âI was not safe any more in Saudi Arabia.â She left her children, two boys from Al-Fallata and a daughter from a previous marriage, in Jeddah and was âthinking aboutâ them.
Margot Fero, a spokesperson for Raniaâs publisher of her book âThe Disfiguredâ, told The Guardian: âShe is here in France legally but without the permission of the Saudi government. Yes, it was an escape but sheâs OK. Obviously sheâs worried about her children.â