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Rahaf al-Qunun: Saudi woman ends airport hotel standoff
1 hour ago
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Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun talks to Thai Immigration Police Chief Surachet Hakparn at the Suvarnabhumi international airport near BangkokImage copyrightEPA/THAI IMMIGRATION BUREAU
Image caption
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, pictured at Bangkok airport, says she "wants to be free" away from Saudi Arabia
An 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family at the weekend has left Bangkok airport "under the care" of the UN refugee agency, the head of Thailand's immigration police says.
Thai immigration officials had tried to return Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, to Kuwait, where her family is.
But she refused to board a flight on Monday and barricaded herself into her airport hotel room.
She said she feared her family would kill her as she had renounced Islam.
"My brothers and family and the Saudi embassy will be waiting for me in Kuwait," Ms Mohammed al-Qunun told Reuters.
"My life is in danger. My family threatens to kill me for the most trivial things."
Her relatives have not commented on her claims.
Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have expressed grave concerns for Ms Mohammed al-Qunun, who had travelled to Thailand for a connecting flight to Australia, where she hoped to seek asylum.
The Thai authorities said her status would be assessed by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).
On Monday evening local time, Thailand's chief of immigration police Surachate Hakparn confirmed that Ms Mohammed al-Qunun was "allowed to stay", and that she "left the airport with the UNHCR".
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1 hour ago
Share this with Facebook Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share this with Email Share
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun talks to Thai Immigration Police Chief Surachet Hakparn at the Suvarnabhumi international airport near BangkokImage copyrightEPA/THAI IMMIGRATION BUREAU
Image caption
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, pictured at Bangkok airport, says she "wants to be free" away from Saudi Arabia
An 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family at the weekend has left Bangkok airport "under the care" of the UN refugee agency, the head of Thailand's immigration police says.
Thai immigration officials had tried to return Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, to Kuwait, where her family is.
But she refused to board a flight on Monday and barricaded herself into her airport hotel room.
She said she feared her family would kill her as she had renounced Islam.
"My brothers and family and the Saudi embassy will be waiting for me in Kuwait," Ms Mohammed al-Qunun told Reuters.
"My life is in danger. My family threatens to kill me for the most trivial things."
Her relatives have not commented on her claims.
Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have expressed grave concerns for Ms Mohammed al-Qunun, who had travelled to Thailand for a connecting flight to Australia, where she hoped to seek asylum.
The Thai authorities said her status would be assessed by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR).
On Monday evening local time, Thailand's chief of immigration police Surachate Hakparn confirmed that Ms Mohammed al-Qunun was "allowed to stay", and that she "left the airport with the UNHCR".
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