WEB DESK
Saudi Arabia has suspended diplomatic ties with Canada in a dramatic escalation of a dispute over the kingdom’s arrest of a women’s rights activist, saying it would tolerate any foreign ‘interference’ in its internal matter.
“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia… will not accept interference in its internal affairs or imposed diktats from any country,” the foreign ministry tweeted.
The kingdom recalled its ambassador to Ottawa and ordered the Canadian envoy to Riyadh to leave within 24 hours. According to Saudi foreign ministry statement.
The Saudi foreign ministry cited remarks last week by Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and the Canadian embassy in Riyadh, criticizing Saudi Arabia’s arrests of women’s rights activists including Samar Badawi. She is a Canadian citizen whose brother Raif Badawi, a blogger who was critical of the Saudi government, was already in jail in the kingdom.
#Statement | Throughout its long history, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has never accepted any interference in its domestic affairs by, or orders from any country. pic.twitter.com/sUrj7XIqTV
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) August 6, 2018