Rahaf Mohammed @rahaf84427714 is a legend. She made a dangerous escape from the stranglehold of Islamic life where she she couldn’t choose her clothes, her career, her husband or where she went each day. The first week she’s free she eats bacon and posts it on social media. Hero.— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) January 16, 2019
This is the statement I made at the press conference today. pic.twitter.com/svqZEnvZpm— Rahaf Mohammed رهف محمد (@rahaf84427714) January 15, 2019
— Sophie McNeill (@Sophiemcneill) January 15, 2019
ABC.net.au
written by Sophie McNeill
Tuesday January 15, 2019
In a week, Rahaf al Qunun has gone from being barricaded inside a Bangkok airport hotel room to being the most recognised refugee on the planet.
After landing in Toronto on Saturday, she has spent the last 48 hours trying to come to terms with the incredible events of the past week.
The 18-year-old fled her Saudi family while visiting Kuwait, before flying to Bangkok on January 5.
She had a valid visa to Australia, but was detained by Thai immigration authorities as soon as she disembarked from her Kuwait Airlines flight.
After being told she was going to be forced to return to Saudi Arabia, the teenager barricaded herself in an airport hotel to avoid deportation and tweeted about her situation.
"I was expecting them to enter the room and kidnap me," she told the ABC.
"That's why I wrote a goodbye letter. I decided that I would end my life, before I was forced back to Saudi Arabia."
In her first interview since leaving Bangkok, Ms al Qunun has spoken about why she fled Saudi Arabia — risking all to start a new life abroad.
"I wanted to be free from oppression and depression. I wanted to be independent," she said.
"I wouldn't have been able to marry the person I wanted. I couldn't get a job without permission.
"Women can't even travel on their own."
Under Saudi Arabia's male guardianship system, Ms al Qunun had no legal right to make basic decisions, like obtaining a passport or travelling abroad, without the agreement of her male guardian.
According to Human Rights Watch, in many areas the Saudi state still considers women to be children in legal terms, regardless of age, which is contrary to international law.
'This might be the agent for change'
Saudi Arabia began an unprecedented crackdown on women's rights activists in May 2018, arresting dozens of prominent feminists who have campaigned to end male guardianship in the country.
Rights groups accused the Saudi regime of torturing, sexually harassing and assaulting the detained women.
Ms al Qunun said she wants to use her newfound freedom to campaign for women's rights in Saudi Arabia, and to call for an end to the male guardianship system enforced by the Saudi regime.
"I think that the number of women fleeing from the Saudi administration and abuse will increase, especially since there is no system to stop them," she said.
"I'm sure that there will be a lot more women running away. I hope my story encourages other women to be brave and free.
"I hope my story prompts a change to the laws, especially as it's been exposed to the world.
"This might be the agent for change."
Teenager disowned by family after fleeing Saudi Arabia
Ms al Qunun's father holds a powerful position as a governor in Saudi Arabia and yesterday her family released a public statement labelling the teenager "mentally unstable", saying they had disowned her.
"We are the family of Mohammed El Qanun in Saudi Arabia," the statement reads.
The family expressed their support behind the "the wise leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Sulaiman Bin Abdul Aziz and his Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman".
"How could my family disown me simply because I wanted to be independent and escape their abuse?" Ms al Qunun said.
"It really upset me."
Ms al Qunun acknowledged that not all asylum seekers were processed as quickly as she was, saying she felt sympathy for the millions of refugees around the Middle East.
The teenager was overjoyed last week when Australia said it would process her asylum claim.
She went to the Australian embassy in Bangkok on Wednesday, but by Friday her case was still being processed.
With growing concerns over her security and no clear timeline over how long Australia would take, the UNHCR then referred her case to Canada and her visa was processed within several hours.
Ms al Qunun disputed claims by Thai authorities that she had "chosen" Canada over Australia.
"This wasn't my choice, it was the UN's," she said.
"All I wanted was for a country to protect me. So, my choice was just for any country to protect me."
Rahaf’s plight is the microcosm of something bigger:the status of women in #Saudi Arabia under guardianship laws.She has forced that onto global consciousness. We must demand the release of Saudi feminists jailed & tortured for work to #EndmaleGuardianship pic.twitter.com/xenk8sSxy2— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) January 14, 2019
The pic of Rahaf, Sophie & me that I posted has sent #Saudi trolls over the edge. Imagine how much time, effort & money has gone into 8 days of hate vs @rahaf84427714 bec she is free. All those men are a reminder of what Rahaf escaped. All those men are someone’s male guardian.— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) January 14, 2019
Do you know how many #Saudi women have written to me saying “I wish that was me!”. Rahaf’s declaration “I should be able to live alone, freely, independent of anyone who does not respect my dignity and who doesn’t respect me as a woman” is revolutionary https://t.co/S06iIWgXpW— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) January 14, 2019
Rahaf is safe and free. But ask why are #Saudi women escaping and seeking asylum? What are they escaping? This young woman’s plight has forced onto global consciousness - finally - the gender apartheid that fuels male guardianship in #Saudi Arabia. #EndMaleGuardianship— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) January 14, 2019
Asylum seekers are usually escaping oppression and/or war. The #Saudi regime through guardianship laws is oppressing and is at war with women via a form of gender apartheid - guardianship laws - that recruits men - who are guardians over their female relatives - in that war.— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) January 14, 2019
To grasp how central to the #Saudi regime the male guardianship laws are:the detained & tortured women’s rights activists were long-time advocates for ending those laws. Those laws -which render women minors from birth to death -are what #Saudi women who seek asylum are escaping— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) January 14, 2019
You've not only gained freedom for yourself but also for your future daughter/s (assuming you have a daughter of course) they will be born in a country where women are free, you will be their hero and a strong mother they look up to— Maggie 👩🏾 (@Maggie07987823) January 15, 2019
Yeah. Okay. Keep telling yourselves that. When a female Muslim decides NOT to wear the hijab they get killed by family members for dishonoring the family and Islam. (emphasis mine)
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