18 y/o Saudi girl in BKK arrested and in danger to get send back and face death penalty

A3801000 · Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:28 pm

Her name is Rahaf Mohammed, she renounced her religion and was on her way to Australia. On request from the Saudis she is being held in BKK and supposed to fly back via Kuwait.
Renouncing Islam means death penalty in Saudi-Arabia.

Here is a article : https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... l-her.html

You can follow her life on twitter: https://twitter.com/rahaf84427714

Sorry, I wanted to get this out quickly.

A3801000 · Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:28 pm

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, is being held in Bangkok awaiting deportation
She fled her Saudi family, having renounced Islam, and says they will kill her
She told MailOnline: 'They will kill me. I am so scared. I don’t know what I will do. I have to fight, because I don’t want to lose my life'
She was trying to reach Australia via Bangkok but a Saudi official confiscated her passport after her male guardian said she was 'traveling without his permission'
Thai officials said it was a 'family matter'. She will be deported at 4.15am GMT
Activists and campaigners are publicising her case with the hashtag #SaveRahaf

A3801000 · Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:36 pm

and from the BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46773625

salttee · Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:40 pm

This may put the Thais in a real bind. They have problems enough with their Muslim minority, but I don't know if the Thai Muslims are subservient to Saudi Arabia or not.

I sent the Thai Embassy an E-mail in support of Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun.

Thanks for the heads up.

NIKV69 · Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:41 pm

If they send her back she is a goner. So sad.

A3801000 · Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:48 pm

NIKV69 wrote:
If they send her back she is a goner. So sad.

From the BBC article:

"The case echoes that of another Saudi woman who was in transit to Australia in April 2017.

Dina Ali Lasloom, 24, was en route from Kuwait via the Philippines but was taken back to Saudi Arabia from Manila airport by her family.

She used a Canadian tourist's phone to send a message, a video of which was posted to Twitter, saying her family would kill her.

Her fate on arriving back in Saudi Arabia remains unknown."

Either the Saudis would do it themselves or pressure her family to kill her.

Let's hope for the best.

ltbewr · Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:30 pm

She isn't too smart thinking President Trump would help.
She is 18. Part of her feelings may be just the product of many 18 year olds who feel her parents are too strict, but she apparently believes she has a well founded belief she will be a victim of violence or death by her father or SA officials under their harsh interpretation of Islam upon her forced return to SA. Yes, some using asylum to go to live someplace else abuse the right, but being disavowed from seeking asylum in Thailand or be allowed transit to Australia is morally questionable . Thailand may get oil from SA so doesn't want to tick off their leaders by not turning her in to SA officials so she is stuck.

scbriml · Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:43 pm

I view all religion as a joke, but the Saudi version of islam is the biggest joke of them all. :banghead:

I'm very disappointed in the Thai authorities kow-towing to Saudi Arabia on this. I wish her the best, but I fear the worst.

johns624 · Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:20 pm

Isn't an 18 year old considered an adult?

A3801000 · Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:50 pm

johns624 wrote:
Isn't an 18 year old considered an adult?

Why would that be relevant?

Renouncing her religion, travel without a male guardian, running away from a arranged marriage, dishounoring her family, saudis not allowed to travel to Thailand... pick one.

Seems her dad is a high ranking government official. She was 'greated' in BKK by a Saudi official who took her passport, despite her just wanting change planes towards Australia.

His position would make him safe for whatever he decides to do to her if she has to return.

Saudi Arabia has basically two options:
- Just let her go and try to make it look not a big deal
- Don't care what the world thinks after Trump gave them carte blanche, force her to come back and let her dad deal with her or take her to court for whatever medieval reason

scbriml · Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:52 pm

After the Khasshogi incident, you would think Saudi Arabia would be on a charm offensive, but apparently not. :sarcastic:

Jouhou · Mon Jan 07, 2019 12:02 am

scbriml wrote:
After the Khasshogi incident, you would think Saudi Arabia would be on a charm offensive, but apparently not.

Oh no, it's a woman so it's different, in Saudi eyes. It's as if livestock escaped for them.

Also I'm pretty sure the Khasshogi thing was more about Turkey extorting the US for favors, since it seems Khasshogi was silenced at the Trump admins request.

Berevoff · Mon Jan 07, 2019 12:48 am

scbriml wrote:
After the Khasshogi incident, you would think Saudi Arabia would be on a charm offensive, but apparently not.

If the global reaction were anything but the reluctant tut-tutting its been so far can you blame them? The whole world has shown through its actions that they don't really care so why should Saudi Arabia?

There's money to be made so a journalist here or there, while unfortunate, is just part of the price we pay for dealing with a culture and nation of people stuck in the 1400's.

Flaps · Mon Jan 07, 2019 12:49 am

Jouhou wrote:
scbriml wrote:
After the Khasshogi incident, you would think Saudi Arabia would be on a charm offensive, but apparently not.

Oh no, it's a woman so it's different, in Saudi eyes. It's as if livestock escaped for them.

Also I'm pretty sure the Khasshogi thing was more about Turkey extorting the US for favors, since it seems Khasshogi was silenced at the Trump admins request.

What color is the sky on your planet???

:scratchchin:

TTailedTiger · Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:16 am

This is horrible and I wish her the best. But I'm not sure what the US has to do with any of this. Some of you just blame Trump for anything.

Jouhou · Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:55 am

Flaps wrote:
Jouhou wrote:
scbriml wrote:
After the Khasshogi incident, you would think Saudi Arabia would be on a charm offensive, but apparently not.

Oh no, it's a woman so it's different, in Saudi eyes. It's as if livestock escaped for them.

Also I'm pretty sure the Khasshogi thing was more about Turkey extorting the US for favors, since it seems Khasshogi was silenced at the Trump admins request.

What color is the sky on your planet???

Ever ask yourself why Turkey would be clutching its pearls over that despite its recent track record with its own journalists? Or why all of the sudden the US is pulling out of Syria at Erdogans request? Why we are suddenly talking about figuring out a way to extradite Fethullah Gülen despite already having deemed his alleged crimes to be unproven BS?

That's really not on topic though. What is on topic is my displeasure with how Saudis treat women. They need to find their way into the 21st century.

zakuivcustom · Mon Jan 07, 2019 3:26 am

Jouhou wrote:
That's really not on topic though. What is on topic is my displeasure with how Saudis treat women. They need to find their way into the 21st century.

Totally agree. But hey, those Saudis are US best ally, we should just turn a blind eyes to their human rights record (or more like, human rights? What's that). Oh, Saudis promote the worst of the worst version of Islam, is the origin of most of the 9/11 hijackers, and is also where OBL originated. Yep, but Iran is the evil country :banghead:

Sigh...it'll depends what Thai gov't do. Pretty sure Saudi pay a pretty nice bribe to some Thai officials, though, so the girl is as good as dead :cry2:

notaxonrotax · Mon Jan 07, 2019 3:44 am

Meanwhile....."Great" progress in Saudi:

https://cnn.it/2CSs6YO

No Tax On Rotax

BawliBooch · Mon Jan 07, 2019 4:11 am

Have been following her case on twitter. Sad to see the Thai authorities bend over to pressure from the murderous Saudi regime.

Its time the Western world came together and take the al-Saud's to task over the gross violations of Human Rights. Sadly there seems to be little unanimity on that count!

NIKV69 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 4:54 am

scbriml wrote:
After the Khasshogi incident, you would think Saudi Arabia would be on a charm offensive, but apparently not.

I don't think Saudi Arabia will have anything to do with this. My money is her father will make her pay for shaming his family. It's so sick.

alfa164 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 4:59 am

NIKV69 wrote:
I don't think Saudi Arabia will have anything to do with this. My money is her father will make her pay for shaming his family. It's so sick.

Perhaps you missed the part about, "She was trying to reach Australia via Bangkok but a Saudi official confiscated her passport after her male guardian said she was 'traveling without his permission'."

tommy1808 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 5:54 am

BawliBooch wrote:
Its time the Western world came together and take the al-Saud's to task over the gross violations of Human Rights.

"Shoot on sight"?

If you want to prevent that kind of behavior, you have to sanction Thailand.

best regards
Thomas

Flighty · Mon Jan 07, 2019 6:20 am

Haha I like a girl that shows some attitude. Good for her. She wisely reached out to social media. Obviously she made an impact. Hopefully she will be ok.

Edit: It is now creeping up the New York Times. The people who run things are going to take care of this girl. Good.

noviorbis77 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:09 am

Why not claim asylum in Thailand?

They cannot return her to Saudi whilst they consider it.

BawliBooch · Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:35 am

Some positive news: The German Ambassador to Thailand just tweeted in support. The Kuwait Airways aircraft has left without Rahaf onboard and she remains in the custody of Thai officials.

On the downside - the Thai authorities are refusing to allow UNHCR and Thai Human Rights NGO's to meet Rahaf.

NIKV69 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:02 am

alfa164 wrote:

Perhaps you missed the part about, "She was trying to reach Australia via Bangkok but a Saudi official confiscated her passport after her male guardian said she was 'traveling without his permission'."

She told the BBC that she had renounced Islam, and feared she would be forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia and killed by her family.

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:09 am

NIKV69 wrote:
alfa164 wrote:

Perhaps you missed the part about, "She was trying to reach Australia via Bangkok but a Saudi official confiscated her passport after her male guardian said she was 'traveling without his permission'."

She told the BBC that she had renounced Islam, and feared she would be forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia and killed by her family.

Both correct. She is a Saudi national,, lived with her family in Kuwait. Renounced Islam, was on her way to Australia with a stopover in BKK. After arriving at BKK the Kuwait Airways manager took her passport and she was put up in the airport hotel, waiting for next light back to Kuwait.

She did not get on this flight and is still in the hotel. Thai authorities do not allow Hum rights advocates, lawyers etc. to see her.
Her father is a influential saudi governor, known to be very conservative and strict.

That's about all we 'know' so far.

I can't imagine a young woman in such a situation, it is revolting.

5427247845 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:34 am

The inconvenient truth is that “the West” will prevail their (economic) interests in Saudi Arabia and do nothing.

scbriml · Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:23 am

A3801000 wrote:
I can't imagine a young woman in such a situation, it is revolting.

It is, I have nothing but sympathy for her.

I do wonder if she might have been wiser to renounce Islam after she'd got to safety?

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:24 am

BREAKING: Thai police say they will not send Saudi woman trying to escape alleged abuse by family anywhere against her wishes.

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:25 am

here the link: https://apnews.com/57b15caeb364427dac4f1881ebc44cf6

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:05 am

I fear the Saudis will move next.

Fly in her dad and 'request' she sees him?
'Ask' her to go to the KSA embassy to 'pick up some documents'?

I don't think this is over quiet yet

JJJ · Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:31 am

scbriml wrote:
A3801000 wrote:
I can't imagine a young woman in such a situation, it is revolting.

It is, I have nothing but sympathy for her.

I do wonder if she might have been wiser to renounce Islam after she'd got to safety?

She was in trouble the moment she was traveling without a male relative (as an unmarried Saudi woman), the renouncing islam thing was probably done as part of her plea not to be returned to Saudi Arabia.

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:35 am

UN has arrived. They are interviewing Rahaf. They gave their word that she would remain in their custody & that she is now safe. This is what they promised

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:38 am

einsteinboricua · Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:39 am

A3801000 wrote:
UN has arrived. They are interviewing Rahaf. They gave their word that she would remain in their custody & that she is now safe. This is what they promised

As far as we know, she's still in an airport hotel room...nothing is stopping Saudi folks from "inspecting" the person and dragging her to a flight bound for Kuwait or Saudi Arabia.

Unless that room is being guarded by UN personnel round the clock, she's still at risk.

tommy1808 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 12:52 pm

einsteinboricua wrote:
A3801000 wrote:
UN has arrived. They are interviewing Rahaf. They gave their word that she would remain in their custody & that she is now safe. This is what they promised

As far as we know, she's still in an airport hotel room...nothing is stopping Saudi folks from "inspecting" the person and dragging her to a flight bound for Kuwait or Saudi Arabia.

Unless that room is being guarded by UN personnel round the clock, she's still at risk.

Dragging someone against there will through an international Airport may not be such a good idea.....

A bunch of dead Saudi goons on the other hand would be splendid.

best regards
Thomas

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:13 pm

Her dad is on his way to Thailand.

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:15 pm

Thai immigration: She has been squirrelled out of the airport to “somewhere safe”

tommy1808 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:15 pm

A3801000 wrote:
Her dad is on his way to Thailand.

it would be fun to arrest him for attempted kidnapping.

best regards
Thomas

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:24 pm

AP report:

'Maj. Gen. ... Hakparn says that after the father of Rahaf ... arrives, officials will see what happens and whether or not she will want to go back with him.'

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 1:28 pm

Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn told reporters Monday that 18-year-old Ramaf Mohammed Alqunun would be granted entry under the protection of the office of the U.N. High Commissioner of Refugees. He said the U.N. agency would take at least five to seven days to evaluate her case.

https://apnews.com/57b15caeb364427dac4f1881ebc44cf6

They want to wait for the media franzy to die down and get her back.

zakuivcustom · Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:17 pm

"Police officials and staff at the Bangkok airport hotel where the woman was staying said she had already left her room there, though her exact destination was not made public."

My only wish is that she got taken to some embassy of a western nation, or even better, secretly flown out of the country (to Australia or some western nation) already.

That way, Thailand can claim that there's a security "lapse", or, if she's in an embassy of some western nation, Thai police can just say they can't do anything.

Oh well, wish her the best.

tommy1808 wrote:
A bunch of dead Saudi goons on the other hand would be splendid.

Killed those Saudi goons in Khashoggi style would be even better :stirthepot:

Jouhou · Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:22 pm

Other countries should just allow Saudi women to freely seek asylum the second they set foot on another countries soil based on Saudi laws. Let's see how they feel about women when they all flee and they don't have any left.

tommy1808 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:28 pm

zakuivcustom wrote:
tommy1808 wrote:
A bunch of dead Saudi goons on the other hand would be splendid.

Killed those Saudi goons in Khashoggi style would be even better

Nah, no need to be cruel. But working for a tyranny means your chose to give up your right to life.

best regards
Thomas

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:48 pm

zakuivcustom wrote:
"Police officials and staff at the Bangkok airport hotel where the woman was staying said she had already left her room there, though her exact destination was not made public."

My only wish is that she got taken to some embassy of a western nation, or even better, secretly flown out of the country (to Australia or some western nation) already.

That way, Thailand can claim that there's a security "lapse", or, if she's in an embassy of some western nation, Thai police can just say they can't do anything.

Oh well, wish her the best.

tommy1808 wrote:
A bunch of dead Saudi goons on the other hand would be splendid.

Killed those Saudi goons in Khashoggi style would be even better

She left the airport with Thai oficials and UN refugee organisation

ltbewr · Mon Jan 07, 2019 3:11 pm

I bet someone high in the Thai government with some common sense realized the international attention wasn't making them look good to the world and have taken the appropriate action to consider her for at least temporary asylum and to allow the UNHCR to conduct a hearing. The father may have to attend to give testimony at the hearing but that might just help her case. Even if gets to Australia, what support will she have there to live there, to make a living ? She likely in her young life traveled to non-Islamic countries so has knows the difference and wanted to escape what is a repressive life for women in SA.

A3801000 · Mon Jan 07, 2019 3:11 pm

Her dad has arrived, doesn't look like he flew scheduled

But she is happy she is with UN and has her passport back.

einsteinboricua · Mon Jan 07, 2019 3:16 pm

ltbewr wrote:
Even if gets to Australia, what support will she have there to live there, to make a living ? She likely in her young life traveled to non-Islamic countries so has knows the difference and wanted to escape what is a repressive life for women in SA.

Pretty certain there are agencies (government or otherwise) that help people like her get settled down and get used to non-Islamic culture, the same way other agencies in different developed countries help refugees get placed and settled in cities.

I think rejecting Islam means she knew she could have a better life being free of a religion and lifestyle she considers oppressive. It would be way different if she was claiming asylum while wanting to keep a strict Islamic lifestyle.

Flighty · Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:40 pm

A3801000 wrote:
Her dad has arrived, doesn't look like he flew scheduled
But she is happy she is with UN and has her passport back.

That is beautiful! Deja vu!

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