Woman 'Imprisoned By Father In Saudi Arabia' Yet To Return To UK

Woman 'Imprisoned By Father In Saudi Arabia' Yet To Return To UK

A 21-year-old woman who found herself at the centre of a High Court battle after complaining that she had been imprisoned by her father in Saudi Arabia has yet to return to Britain - despite a landmark ruling by a judge, a lawyer says.

Mr Justice Holman ordered Saudi academic Mohammed Al-Jeffery to return Amina Al-Jeffery to Britain on August 3 after analysing the case at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

The judge said Mr Al-Jeffery had to "permit and facilitate" Miss Al-Jeffery's return to England or Wales by 4pm on September 11.

Solicitor Anne-Marie Hutchinson, who represents Miss Al-Jeffery and is a partner at London law firm Dawson Cornwell, said on Monday that her client had yet to return.

Miss Al-Jeffery - who grew up in Swansea and has dual British and Saudi Arabian nationality - complained her father locked her up in his flat in Jeddah because she had ''kissed a guy''.

She had described herself as being ''locked in a cage''.

Her father disputed her allegations and said he was trying to protect her.

Mr Justice Holman concluded that Miss Al-Jeffery's freedom of movement had been severely constrained.

He said she could be described as ''caged'' - although she was not literally ''in a cage''.

The judge said she was a British citizen abroad who was in peril and who needed protection.

He concluded he had the power to make protective orders and said doing nothing would be a ''dereliction''.

Dawson Cornwell lawyers had described the ruling as a landmark and said they expected Mr Al-Jeffery to comply with Mr Justice Holman's order.

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