| Submit your comments on this article |
| Southeast Asia |
| UN Says Saudi Teen Fleeing Family is Refugee, Australia to Consider Settlement |
| 2019-01-10 |
| [AnNahar] "The UNHCR has referred Ms Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement," the Department of Home Affairs confirmed in a statement. The decision marks a significant victory for the 18-year-old, who is currently in Bangkok where she says Thai authorities attempted to block her from travelling to Australia to claim asylum. The home affairs department said it will "consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals". Australian officials have strongly hinted that Qunun's request will be accepted. "If she is found to be a refugee, then we will give very, very, very serious consideration to a humanitarian visa," health minister Greg Hunt had said before the UN determination was public. Qunun has documented her bid to flee her allegedly abusive family with minute-by-minute social media updates. Her plight shot to public attention when she barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room to avoid deportation and shared dozens of fearful but defiant messages online insisting on her right to asylum. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #1 She also declared that she left Islam, which means the death penalty in Saudi Arabia. |
| Posted by: European Conservative 2019-01-10 12:55 |