Thailand’s immigration chief said they would not send a Saudi woman back to Kuwait due to safety concerns.
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, who says she’s abused by her family, barricaded herself in a hotel room to avoid being sent back home by Thai authorities
Qunun has said she fears that if she goes back to her family they will kill her. Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director for Human Rights Watch said that the young woman had suffered “physical and psychological abuse from her family”.
Robertson added that the 18-year-old who’s had her passport “confiscated” would like to file for asylum.
The Saudi teen has been in Bangkok airport since Saturday after she was denied entry by Thai immigration officials.
Qunun told Reuters she fled Kuwait while her family visiting the Gulf country and had planned to travel to Australia via Thailand to seek asylum.
She also said she was detained after getting her plane in Bangkok and told she would be sent back to Kuwait.
A tweet on the Saudi Foreign Ministry official account denied allegations that its embassy had confiscated her passport.