Saudi Arabia expels Canadian ambassador, freezes all trade deals
Saudi Arabia yesterday said it was expelling the Canadian Ambassador Dennis Horak and also freezing all new trade with Canada, in protest to Ottawa's vigorous calls for the release of jailed activists. The move, which underscores a newly aggressive foreign-policy led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, comes after Canada demanded the immediate release of human rights campaigners swept up in a new crackdown.
Saudi's Foreign Ministry updates its decision on Twitter
Canada said it was concerned over human rights activists' arrest
The Kingdom gave the Canadian ambassador 24 hours to leave the country, in an abrupt rupture of relations over what it slammed as interference in its internal affairs. Canada last week said it was "gravely concerned" over a new wave of arrests of women and human rights campaigners in the Kingdom, including the award-winning gender rights activist, Samar Badawi.
Arrest of Samar and Raif Badawi
Samar was arrested along with fellow campaigner Nassima al-Sadah last week. Samar is a vocal campaigner for blogger Raif Badawi, who was arrested in 2012 and sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10yrs in jail for insulting Islam, sparking an international outcry. Badawi's wife Ensaf Haidar has been granted asylum by Canada, where she is raising their three children now aged 14, 13, and 10.
Saudi saw new-reforms by Prince Mohammad but also strict foreign-policies
Prince Mohammed has introduced a string of reforms such as lifting a decades-long ban on women drivers in a bid to overhaul the Kingdom's austere image as it prepares for a post-oil era. But the 32-year-old has simultaneously pursued a hawkish foreign policy, including leading a blockade of neighboring Qatar and a bombing campaign against Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen.
Saudi's move, a strong message to other Western govts: Observers
Riyadh's expulsion of the Canadian ambassador was meant to send a strong message to other critical Western governments, observers say. "Canada is easier to cut ties with than the rest. There isn't a strong bilateral trade relationship. However, at jeopardy, are the tens of thousands of Saudi students in Canada," Bessma Momani, a professor at Canada's University of Waterloo, said.
