Teenage traveller Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, who says she fears death in Saudi Arabia, is now ‘under care of UN’, says Thailand
- Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun has left the Bangkok airport hotel room she had barricaded to prevent her deportation
- She says she plans to seek asylum in Australia, fearing her family would kill her if repatriated
A Saudi teenager who made a desperate plea for asylum after landing at Bangkok airport has been placed “under the care” of the United Nations refugee agency, a Thai official said late Monday.
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun said she ran away from her family while travelling in Kuwait because they subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.
The 18-year-old said she had planned to seek asylum in Australia and feared she would be killed if repatriated by Thai immigration officials who stopped her during transit on Sunday. She barricaded herself in her airport hotel room, demanding UN protection before she would leave.
The incident comes as Saudi Arabia faces intense scrutiny over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year, which has renewed criticism of the kingdom’s rights record.
Thailand says Saudi teenager who fled her family fearing death to seek asylum abroad won’t be forcibly deported
Thai immigration chief Surachate Hakparn had said Sunday that Qunun was denied entry because of her lack of documents.