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Open Letter to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office / Boris Johnson

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Open Letter to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office / Boris Johnson Open Letter to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office / Boris Johnson Dear Mr Johnson, Re Amina Al-Jeffery We the undersigned write to ask in the strongest possible terms that the FCO brings every possible pressure to bear on the authorities in Saudi Arabia to ensure the safe return of this young woman to the UK without delay. Amina is 21 years old. She was taken to Jeddah by her father in May 2012 because in his terms, she was becoming too Westernised. It is alleged that she is being kept against her will in the most inhumane conditions imaginable; caged, physically assaulted, deprived of food and water and refused permission to use the bathroom. Amina has joint British and Saudi Arabian Citizenship: her Mother and many of her 9 siblings live in Swansea, and Amina is being deprived of all contact with them. Amina is subject to protective orders under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the High Court and orders have been made to try to secure her safe return to the Jurisdiction. Her father is refusing to co-operate with the Consul in Jeddah. Today Mr Justice Holman has ordered Amina’s father to “permit and facilitate” Amina’s return to the UK, and to pay for her airfare, stating that she must return by 11th September 2016. Given the problems of enforcing this order in Saudi Arabia, we call upon the FCO to ensure that the order is complied with. It is unconscionable that a young woman should be treated in this way, and she is entitled to the protection of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We ask that urgent intervention is taken to secure her safe return. Signed by: Cris McCurley, Partner at Ben Hoare Bell Solicitors LLP Pragna Patel, Director of Southall Black Sisters Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid Dianna Nammi, Director of IKWRO Vivienne Hayes MBE, Director of Women’s Resource Centre Rachel Krys, Co-director of End Violence Against Women Network Rosie Lewis, Assistant Director of the Angelou Centre Umme Imam, Director of the Angelou Centre Shahien Taj OBE, Director of the Henna Foundation Deeyah Khan, Film Maker and Founder of Fuuse Shaheen Hashmat, Writer and Activist Eleanor Linsey, Sisters of Frida Gita Sahgal, Director of the Centre for Secular Space Gwenda Nichols, President of the National Council of Women for Great Britain Joanne Peyton, Women’s rights activist Sameem Ali, Author/Politician Sue Robson, NE CEDAW group Chair Shahda Khan MBE, NEWN Sharron Ward, Director/Producer of Katalyst films Pat Garrett, Women’s Rights Activist Hannah Summers, Journalist Helen McCormack, Women’s Rights Activist Rukshana Thakrar, Independent Social Worker Polly Harrar, Director of the Sharon Project Yasminara Khan, TV researcher/Journalist Harriet Wistrich, Director of Centre for Women’s Justice Libbey Maktari, Independent Yemen Group Annie Bishop, NEWN Henna Cheema, African Initiatives Usha Sood, Barrister Denise Gilley, ISW Maryam Namazie, Spokesperson for One Law For All Gina Khan, Spokesperson for One Law For All Jasvinder Sahgera CBE, CEO of Karma Nirvana Dr Phyllis Chesler, Emeritus Professor at City University of New York Dr Paula Boddington Senior Researcher, University of Oxford Lionel Joyce CBE Kathleen Sloan, Women’s Rights Activist Carol Meredith, Women’s Rights Activist Becky Rogerson, Director of My Sister’s Place Dr Hilary Middleton Price, Honorary Fellow of Manchester University Lalaie Ameeriar, Academic and researcher, IKWRO Dr Phillipa Dawson Ruth Eagle Fiona Nichol, Manager at Wear Valley Women’s Aid Emma Boyd, Women’s Rights Advocate Rashid Begum, Solicitor Bal Howard, Project and Performance Manager HBV at Suffolk Constabulary Sarah Smeeth, National Probation Service Vicki Marcus, Consultant Social Worker Professor Kathryn Hollingsworth, Newcastle University Law School Dr Nicki Godden-Rasul, Newcastle University Law School Claire Allen, Criminal Justice worker Martyn Jones, Chief Executive Prif Weithredwr Barbara Natesegara, BAWSO Shelley Moore, Women’s Safety Officer Ellie Richols, Comms Officer at African Initiatives .
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