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Saudi
Arabian princess seeks asylum in Britain over illegitimate child A Saudi Arabian princess who had an illegitimate
child with a British man has successfully sought asylum in Britain after
claiming she would face the death penalty if she went home. By
Aislinn Simpson Published: 10:26AM BST 20 Jul 2009 The woman, who has been granted anonymity, is
married to an elderly member of the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia and met her
non-Muslim English boyfriend during a visit to London. She became pregnant the following year and persuaded
her husband to let her return to the UK so she could give birth in secret. She has now become one of a handful of Saudi
citizens to apply to the UK courts for asylum. Such cases are not generally
acknowledged by the British government for fear that highlighting the
persecution of women in the strict Muslim nation would strain relations with
the House of Saud. The woman told the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal
that she could be liable to death by stoning under Sharia law if she returned,
or face an honour killing. Since she fled her home country, her husband's
family and her own, independently wealthy family, have broken off contact with
her. The Home Office has declined to discuss the case,
which was first reported in The Independent. The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
also failed to comment in time for the paper's deadline. But it serves as further evidence that the Gulf
state of Saudi Arabia, which is home to around 30,000 Britons, is still lagging
behind in its approach to human rights. According to Amnesty International, there were at
least 102 executions of men and women by stonings, floggings, beheadings and
hangings last year and the charity claims there are at least 136 more people on
death row. Last week, the kingdom's religious police were
blamed for the shooting dead of two sisters by their brother in Riyadh in what
was deemed to be an "honour killing". The sisters, who were 19 and 21, had been arrested
by the police for allegedly mixing with men to whom they were not related, a
move which according to The Society for Defending Women's Rights, prompted the
killing. Related Articles Minister defends MI5 as torture inquiry looms Shell considers jobs cuts at US refineries Saudi family takes 'genie' to court Saudi Arabia convicts 330 terror suspects in one
court case Saudi Arabian asylum princess 'feared flogging and
stoning' The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie: Review |
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