Saudi girl who fled family arrives in Canada after being granted asylum

Saudi girl , Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun has been welcomed with open arms as she touched down at Toronto airport, after being granted asylum in Canada. 

Alqunun, 18 who ran away from her home country said she was abused and feared death if deported home arrived in Canada on Saturday (local time) arm-in-arm with the country’s foreign minister.

The case grabbed global attention after she mounted a social media campaign for asylum. 

This a very brave new Canadian, said Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.

She had a very long and tiring journey so she would prefer not to take questions today, said Ms Freeland, adding that she would take questions later.

Ms Alqunun earlier tweeted two pictures from her plane seat — one with what appears to be a glass of wine and her passport and another holding her passport while on the plane with the hashtag “I did it” and the emojis showing plane, hearts and wine glass.

Ms Alqunun was initially bound for Australia, but had her passport taken from her by Saudi embassy officials and airline staff upon landing at Bangkok airport.

Her case was referred to Australia by the United Nations’ High Commission for Refugees who decided she was a genuine refugee, but the UNHCR withdrew its referral to this country, claiming Ms al-Qunun has said Canada was her first choice for a new home.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday that Canada would accept Ms Alqunun as a refugee in a case that has highlighted the cause of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, where several women fleeing abuse by their families have been caught trying to seek asylum abroad in recent years and returned home.

Human rights activists say many similar cases go unreported.