SANAA: Huda Al-Niran, a Saudi woman who eloped with her Yemeni suitor last month and crossed illegally into Yemen, heaved a sigh of relief on Sunday when the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees agreed to grant her asylum. Yemeni women gather in support with Saudi Huda al-Niran outside the courthouse during her trial in Sanaa on Sunday. (AFP
Al-Niran, 22, claims she escaped forced marriage in Saudi Arabia and came to Yemen illegally to marry her Yemeni suitor Arafat Mohammed Tahar.
As she pleaded her case to be able to stay and marry Tahar, 25, her supporters demonstrated outside the Sanaa courthouse, sporting headbands proclaiming “We are all Huda.”
In court, she refused to accept a lawyer provided by the Saudi Embassy, fearing pressure to return home.
But Huda did accept to be represented by a lawyer appointed by a Yemeni non-government organisation called Hood, who said he hoped for a favorable outcome.
“This is a humanitarian case, and must not raise tensions between the two countries,” lawyer Abdel Rakib al-Qadi told AFP.
Tahar is also on trial for helping her to illegally cross the border.
Following the news of Huda’s asylum, activists announced that two local tribal leaders made donations to help the two tie the knot.
Categories: Arab World, Asia, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
Europe beware: You will be flooded with ‘lovers’ as asylum seekers in the near future!!!!
Potential (especially Pakistani) asylum seekers will be pleased. They now do not need to bother to convert to Christianity in order to obtain asylum. To find a controversial lover will be more interesting… and serve the purpose as well.