Eighteen year old Rahaf al-Qunun, who is seeking asylum has been given permission to stay in Thailand while the UN refugee agency assesses her status.
Thailand’s chief of immigration police Surachate Hakparn has stated that “She is now under the sovereignty of Thailand; no-one and no embassy can force her to go anywhere”. Something which will no doubt come as a huge relief both the young Saudi girl concerned and a watching public who are well aware of the draconian punishment she could face if returned and charged with apostasy (abandoning one’s religious beliefs). This potentially carries the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
The world is still awaiting details of the whereabouts of Dina Ali Lasloom who similarly attempted to seek asylum in Australia, but was returned to Saudi Arabia from the Philippines in April 2017. Her subsequent whereabouts or status remain unknown.
