Human Rights Watch has called on Australia’s government to clarify the status of the visa of the Saudi teenager Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun amid concerns that it had been cancelled.
The 18-year-old Saudi woman who barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room to prevent her forcible return to a family she claims will kill her, has been taken under the protection of the UN high commissioner for refugees in Thailand.
Qunun was detained on arrival at Bangkok and denied entry to Thailand while en route to Australia, where she said she intended to seek asylum. The Guardian confirmed on Monday Qunun had a valid three-month tourist visa for Australia, issued to her Saudi passport.
But there are reports from Qunun supporters that her visa to Australia has been cancelled.
Sophie McNeill
(@Sophiemcneill)I’m very interested to hear from Minister Dutton if this is correct or not? I’ve seen Rahaf’s Australian visa which was valid – but yesterday when she was trying to log into her immigration online profile that appeared to no longer be working? Keen to hear more from the Minister https://t.co/5f0gNhZyQR
The Human Rights Watch Australian director, Elaine Pearson, urged the federal government to clarify Qunun’s visa status.
“If the visa has been cancelled it would be very concerning,” she told the Guardian. “She’s not safe in Thailand … I don’t think she’ll be truly safe until she reaches a third country.”
Pearson said Australia has a moral obligation to help Qunun.
“Foreign governments, including Australia, that are concerned about human rights should be doubling down and offering support,” she said, adding that the response for the federal government and opposition had been disappointing so far.
“The government has said that promoting women’s rights is a priority as part of its foreign policy; well here’s a concrete case where they can protect a young woman’s life, and the government should be seizing that opportunity and making its views widely known.”
The Australian government said on Monday night Qunun’s situation was “deeply concerning” and it had lobbied the Thai government and the UNHCR to allow her to formally claim asylum.
The government is yet to respond to reports the visa has been cancelled.
Labor’s immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann has declined to weigh in.
He told reporters in Brisbane on Tuesday he’d been in contact with immigration minister David Coleman’s office and was satisfied with the level of support from the federal government.
“She’s got an application she’s making with the UNHCR with refugee status. I won’t preempt the outcome of that particular process,” he said.
