Yemeni refugee demands Canada asylum following Saudi runaway case

A Yemeni refugee who has been living in limbo in Canada for the past two years, has turned to social media demaning that Ottawa grant her asylum, after a Saudi runaway was given refuge.

Nada Ali started tweeting her plight last week saying she was at risk of being deported back to her war-torn homeland.

The 22-year-old illegally crossed into Canada in 2017 with her younger sister and says that they have been stuck in bureaucratic limbo ever since.

"I want to speak about the suffering we have endured over the past two years," Ali said in an emotional video broadcasted on Twitter.

"I am far away from my parents, it has been two years I just want to hug my mother. All I want is a secure place to complete my studies.

"Nobody has helped us, on one has listened to us, I've tried everything. If Canada really respected human rights, they would have come to my aid," she added.

Ali explained that she was reaching out for help through social media after Canadian authorities have so far failed to grant the sisters permanent asylum status.

Ali declined to speak to The New Arab, saying that she was pulling out of media interviews for personal reasons.

The case has sparked anger online with some accusing Ottowa of having double standards in its management of refugees.

Earlier this month, Canada quickly stepped in to resettle Saudi teenage runaway Rahaf al-Qunun after she took to Twitter to publicise her attempts to flee alleged abuse from her family.

"The foreign minister greeted Rahaf at the airport, while Nada and her sister have been suffering in Canada for two years. Exploiting asylum cases for political gains is a crime," Yemeni politician Ali al-Bukhaiti said.

Since Qunun's escape gained worldwide attention, another Saudi woman reached out to social media for help to escape her allegedly abusive family.