A Saudi teen described as a B次元官网网址渂rave new CanadianB次元官网网址� by one of the federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 senior ministers has landed in Toronto after fleeing her allegedly abusive family.
Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, landed at TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Pearson International Airport on Saturday morning aboard a flight from Seoul, South Korea, a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his government would accept her as a refugee.
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Alqunun, wearing a hoodie emblazened with the word Canada, appeared briefly to reporters at the airport flanked by Foreign Affairs Minsiter Chrystia Freeland, who had her arm wrapped around the teen.
Freeland said the teen would not be offering any comments before heading to her B次元官网网址渘ew home.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淩ahaf wanted Canadians to see that sheB次元官网网址檚 arrived,B次元官网网址� Freeland said. B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 a very brave young woman whoB次元官网网址檚 been through a lot.B次元官网网址�
The young woman fled her family while visiting Kuwait and flew to Bangkok, where she barricaded herself in an airport hotel and launched a Twitter campaign that drew global attention to her case.
卮賰乇賸丕 噩夭賷賱丕賸 賰賳丿丕 馃嚚馃嚘馃挄 賲噩乇丿 丕賱賯賷丕賲 亘丕賱囟睾胤 I love Canada I love you all 鉂わ笍馃摲
B次元官网网址� rahaf Mohammed 卮賰乇丕 賱賰賲 (@rahaf844277144)
Alqunun said her father physically abused her and tried to force her into an arranged marriage.
Her father, who arrived in Bangkok not long before she left, has denied those allegations.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 the girl who ran away to Thailand. IB次元官网网址檓 now in real danger because the Saudi Embassy is trying to force me to return,B次元官网网址� said an English translation of one of her first posts to Twitter. Alqunun also wrote that she was afraid and that her family would kill her if she were returned home.
The Twitter hashtag #SaveRahaf ensued, and a photograph of her behind a door barricaded with a mattress was seen around the world.
Trudeau announced Friday that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees asked Canada to take Alqunun as a refugee, and Canada agreed.
B次元官网网址淭hat is something that we are pleased to do because Canada is a country that understands how important it is to stand up for human rights, to stand up for womenB次元官网网址檚 rights around the world,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said.
But the move to accept Alqunun could serve to heighten tensions between Canada and Saudi Arabia.
In August, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expelled CanadaB次元官网网址檚 ambassador and withdrew his own envoy after Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland used Twitter to call for the release of womenB次元官网网址檚 rights activists who had been arrested in the country.
The Saudis also sold Canadian investments and recalled their students from universities in Canada.
But Trudeau appeared unfazed by the possibility that the move could have ill effects, repeating that Canada stands up for human rights regardless of diplomatic consequences.
B次元官网网址淭his is part of a long tradition of Canada engaging constructively and positively in the world and working with our partners, allies and with the United Nations. And when the United Nations made a request of us that we grant Ms. Alqunun asylum, we accepted,B次元官网网址� he said.
The Canadian Press
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