Saudi sisters trapped in Hong Kong
- 5 years ago
Two sisters from Saudi Arabia have been stranded in Hong Kong for nearly six months.
On September 6, 2018, the young women fled their family during a holiday to Sri Lanka but were prevented from boarding their Cathay Pacific connecting flight to Australia at Hong Kong International Airport.
According to the girl’s solicitor, human rights lawyer Michael Vidler, they were apprehended in Hong Kong by staff from the Saudi consulate who attempted to put them on a flight back to the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, before ending up stuck and hiding in the city with invalidated passports.
Vidler said the sisters filed an application for an emergency visa to an unnamed third country. But time is running out as the pair have only been given permission to stay in Hong Kong until February 28, 2019, and they are yet to receive an answer about their emergency visa request.
The Saudi consulate in Hong Kong has not responded to our request for comment.
On September 6, 2018, the young women fled their family during a holiday to Sri Lanka but were prevented from boarding their Cathay Pacific connecting flight to Australia at Hong Kong International Airport.
According to the girl’s solicitor, human rights lawyer Michael Vidler, they were apprehended in Hong Kong by staff from the Saudi consulate who attempted to put them on a flight back to the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, before ending up stuck and hiding in the city with invalidated passports.
Vidler said the sisters filed an application for an emergency visa to an unnamed third country. But time is running out as the pair have only been given permission to stay in Hong Kong until February 28, 2019, and they are yet to receive an answer about their emergency visa request.
The Saudi consulate in Hong Kong has not responded to our request for comment.