Princess Sara bint Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is currently living in London with her four children |
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The
daughter of Saudi Arabia's former ruler says she is seeking political asylum in
the UK.
Princess
Sara bint Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud says she faces persecution by members of
her family and also some of Saudi Arabia's authorities.
The
mother-of-four says she has applied to the Home Office for political asylum.
She moved to the UK in 2007 and currently lives in London.
The Home
Office says it will not comment on individual cases.
Princess
Sara, who is divorced, is also applying for asylum for her children. Her father,
King Saud, ruled Saudi Arabia from 1953 until 1964.
She said in
a statement that after she and her children's leave to remain in the UK
expired, they applied to continue their stay in this country. However, this was
refused by the Home Office in 2011.
'Smear
campaign'
She added:
"So, with deep regret, and as I have been left with no other choice, I
have written to the UK Home Office to indicate that I, and my children, wish to
be granted political asylum.
"My
reputation has been besmirched in the media by a baseless and malicious smear
campaign.
"For
years I have endured all this in silence, while trying to resolve my situation
with dignity through the normal channels, without fanfare or publicity.
"But
my pleas to the Saudi authorities in the Kingdom have been obstructed and
denied, and the Saudi embassy in London has turned its back on me."
Princess
Sara went on to say that she has "nothing but respect for my uncle King
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and the people
of Saudi Arabia".
"All I
have ever sought is my legitimate rights, so that my children and I can resume
our lives with dignity and I can resume my civil society and development
work."
Reform
calls
Theprincess has previously told the BBC that she wants wide-ranging reforms in her
country.
She has
called for "a proper constitution that treats all men and women on an
equal footing before the law". She also says she "strongly
believes" the current implementation of Saudi Arabian divorce law is
"abusive".
The
princess has also called for an overhaul of her country's education system, a
complete reform of social services and a change in attitude towards women's
rights.
Accordingto the Sunday Telegraph, a Saudi embassy diplomat said: "The embassy has
been involved in settling her visa issue and residency issue in the UK. We
have tried to settle this issue.
"This
matter is of a personal nature so there is only so much the government can do. It's
not a political matter."
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