On 10 April 2017, Saudi Arabian woman Dina Ali Lasloom arrived in Manila on her way to Australia.
Fleeing a Saudi regime that restricted the rights of all woman under its guardianship laws, 24-year-old Dina was planning to seek asylum upon her arrival in Sydney.
A day later, her arms and legs were bound, her mouth gagged with tape as she was forced kicking and screaming onto a flight back to Riyadh.
She has not been heard of since.
Dina Ali’s story was told during ABC’s Four Corners investigation into women escaping from Saudi Arabia.
This also included the story of Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, whose escape had a happy ending in Canada.
Dina Ali was not so lucky.
“They bound her arms and legs together and dragged her onto a plane kicking and screaming.” Dina Ali Lasloom hasn’t been heard from publicly since.#4Corners #EscapeFromSaudi @rahaf84427714 @sophiemcneill @monaeltahawy @cooglea @FergusonNews pic.twitter.com/MIVgCxrfxq
— 4corners (@4corners) February 2, 2019
Top Comments
You would not catch me dead going to Saudi Arabia.
We in the West all have blood on our hands in the way Saudi women are treated. We buy Saudi oil from the Royal Family who protect their own wealth and self interests by giving the religious mullahs free reign to keep the people under control i.e to prevent the people from developing a robust enough democracy to oust the royals. The hardline mullahs then translate the Koran in a way that supports their own retention of power, by inciting fear in the people through Sharia law, resulting in the suppression, abuse and death of women. We won’t even punish the Saudi’s for admitting to murdering a respected journalist, what hope do lone women have fleeing their abusive Saudi men? What a backward and corrupt country, that is an embarassment on the world stage and shame on us for doing business with them.
The problem is, not all Saudi women share our Western values. They are hardline Muslims who don't think they need saving from Saudi men and would be ofended if you suggested they did. I feel sorry for the thousands of female 'guest' workers beaten , abused and jailed by their Saudi employers and the women can be just as cruel as as the men. Boycotting the country isn't going to make it better for women, they are the product of living in a country where the majority of them were only 60 years desert dwelling Bedouins, a tribal patriarchy. Where in the Middle East (Israel excepted) is there a robust Democratic Country and I am extremely doubtful thst Saudi Arabia (in my lifetime) will become one.