Saudi teen seeks asylum
- 5 years ago
The United Nations (UN) has referred Saudi teenager Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun to Australia for refugee resettlement. Fearing that her family would kill her for renouncing Islam, the 18-year-old had been on her way to Australia to seek asylum before she was stopped in Thailand.
Thai immigration officials initially planned to send her back to Kuwait where her family lives, but the teenager barricaded herself into her hotel room where she began to plead her case on social media.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has stepped in and escorted her from the hotel to a Thai government shelter to await a decision from Australia about possible refugee resettlement there.
(Photo: Reuters/Twitter/@rahaf84427714)
Thai immigration officials initially planned to send her back to Kuwait where her family lives, but the teenager barricaded herself into her hotel room where she began to plead her case on social media.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has stepped in and escorted her from the hotel to a Thai government shelter to await a decision from Australia about possible refugee resettlement there.
(Photo: Reuters/Twitter/@rahaf84427714)