Two Saudi sisters marooned in Hong Kong have arrived in a safe third country after securing humanitarian visas, their law firm said on Monday, ending a months-long ordeal as they sought sanctuary from an abusive family.

The siblings -- the latest example of Saudi women escaping the ultra-conservative kingdom only to find themselves stranded in foreign cities -- said they were "thrilled" their story had a "happy ending" after making a public appeal for their safety.

The young women, aged 20 and 18, said they made a break from an abusive family during a holiday in Sri Lanka last September with the intention of heading for Australia, but they only made it as far as Hong Kong.

The pair -- who use the aliases Reem and Rawan -- said they were intercepted at the airport by Saudi consular officials and their air tickets cancelled. Fearful they might be abducted, they entered Hong Kong as visitors but later had their passports revoked, leaving them stranded in the semiautonomous Chinese city.

The sisters, who had previously said they lived in constant fear of being found by Saudi authorities and their family while in Hong Kong, were finally able to leave the city late last week after being granted "emergency humanitarian visas" and start new lives in another country, their law firm said.

A video posted on the firm's Facebook page showed the sisters jumping around excitedly as they departed Hong Kong airport.

"We are thrilled that our story has a happy ending and that we have found our way to safety to re-start our lives free of violence and oppression. We wish for our story to offer hope to others who face similar situations," Reem and Rawan said in a statement.

"We want to say loud and clear to the Saudi authorities and other regimes which treat women unequally: never underestimate the strength of brave women," they added.

'Immense courage'

Their lawyer Michael Vidler did not disclose their new location "to ensure their future security", saying no further details would be provided, including on the application process and their new lives.

Vidler said the sisters would not give interviews again, but thanked local and international media for their support.

The two women last month told AFP that chronic physical abuse by male family members prompted them to flee. They said they had also renounced Islam, a crime technically punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.

Their testimony cannot be independently verified and Saudi authorities have yet to comment on their allegations.

Lynn Maalouf, Middle East research director at Amnesty International, said the sisters "showed immense courage and took huge risks to escape the repeated abuse by their male relatives".&nbsp;

"The sisters must be allowed to build their lives without living in fear that their family or the Saudi authorities will force them back," she added.

Many Saudi women who flee overseas have spoken to media and rights groups of persuasive and coercive tactics used by Saudi officials and family members to pursue those who escape.

At the beginning of the year, 18-year-old Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun drew global attention with her dramatic escape from an allegedly abusive family, gaining refugee status in Canada.

Two Saudi sisters marooned in Hong Kong have arrived in a safe third country after securing humanitarian visas, their law firm said on Monday, ending a months-long ordeal as they sought sanctuary from an abusive family.

Two Saudi sisters marooned in Hong Kong have arrived in a safe third country after securing humanitarian visas, their law firm said on Monday, ending a months-long ordeal as they sought sanctuary from an abusive family. The siblings -- the latest example of Saudi women escaping the ultra-conservative kingdom only to find themselves stranded in foreign cities -- said they were "thrilled" their story had a "happy ending" after making a public appeal for their safety. The young women, aged 20 and 18, said they made a break from an abusive family during a holiday in Sri Lanka last September with the intention of heading for Australia, but they only made it as far as Hong Kong. The pair -- who use the aliases Reem and Rawan -- said they were intercepted at the airport by Saudi consular officials and their air tickets cancelled. Fearful they might be abducted, they entered Hong Kong as visitors but later had their passports revoked, leaving them stranded in the semiautonomous Chinese city. The sisters, who had previously said they lived in constant fear of being found by Saudi authorities and their family while in Hong Kong, were finally able to leave the city late last week after being granted "emergency humanitarian visas" and start new lives in another country, their law firm said. A video posted on the firm's Facebook page showed the sisters jumping around excitedly as they departed Hong Kong airport. "We are thrilled that our story has a happy ending and that we have found our way to safety to re-start our lives free of violence and oppression. We wish for our story to offer hope to others who face similar situations," Reem and Rawan said in a statement. "We want to say loud and clear to the Saudi authorities and other regimes which treat women unequally: never underestimate the strength of brave women," they added. 'Immense courage' Their lawyer Michael Vidler did not disclose their new location "to ensure their future security", saying no further details would be provided, including on the application process and their new lives. Vidler said the sisters would not give interviews again, but thanked local and international media for their support. The two women last month told AFP that chronic physical abuse by male family members prompted them to flee. They said they had also renounced Islam, a crime technically punishable by death in Saudi Arabia. Their testimony cannot be independently verified and Saudi authorities have yet to comment on their allegations. Lynn Maalouf, Middle East research director at Amnesty International, said the sisters "showed immense courage and took huge risks to escape the repeated abuse by their male relatives". "The sisters must be allowed to build their lives without living in fear that their family or the Saudi authorities will force them back," she added. Many Saudi women who flee overseas have spoken to media and rights groups of persuasive and coercive tactics used by Saudi officials and family members to pursue those who escape. At the beginning of the year, 18-year-old Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun drew global attention with her dramatic escape from an allegedly abusive family, gaining refugee status in Canada.

Saudi sisters free after six months stranded in Hong Kong

Two sisters from Saudi Arabia who fled the conservative kingdom and have been hiding out in Hong Kong for nearly six months said they did so to escape beatings at the hands of their brothers and father.

The pair, who say they have renounced their Muslim faith, arrived in the Chinese territory from Sri Lanka in September. They say they were prevented from boarding a connecting flight to Australia and were intercepted at the airport by diplomats from Saudi Arabia.

Reuters could not independently verify their story.

Asked about the case, Hong Kong police said they had received a report from "two expatriate women" in September and were investigating, but did not elaborate.

The Saudi consulate in Hong Kong has not responded to repeated requests from Reuters for comment.

The case is the second high-profile example this year of Saudi women seeking to escape their country and spotlights the kingdom's strict social rules, including a requirement that females seek permission from a male "guardian" to travel.

The sisters, aged 18 and 20, managed to leave Hong Kong airport but consular officials have since revoked their passports, leaving them stranded in the city for nearly six months, their lawyer, Michael Vidler, said.

Vidler, one of the leading activist lawyers in the territory, also confirmed the authenticity of a Twitter account written by the two women describing their plight.

On Saturday, dressed in jeans and wearing sneakers, the softly spoken women described what they said was a repressive and unhappy life at their home in the Saudi capital Riyadh. They said they had adopted the aliases Reem and Rawan, because they fear using their real names could lead to their being traced if granted asylum in a third country.

They posed for pictures but asked their features not be revealed.

Every decision had to be approved by the men in their house, from the clothes they wore to the hairstyle they chose - even the times when they woke and went to sleep, the sisters told Reuters.

"They were like my jailer, like my prison officer. I was like a prisoner," said the younger sister, Rawan, referring to two brothers aged 24 and 25 as well as her father.

"It was basically modern day slavery. You can't go out of the house unless someone is with us. Sometimes we will stay for months without even seeing the sun," the elder sister, Reem, said.

In January, a Saudi woman made global headlines by barricading herself in a Bangkok airport hotel to avoid being sent home to her family. She was later granted asylum in Canada.

'Brother brainwashed'

Reem and Rawan said their 10-year-old brother was also encouraged to beat them.

"They brainwashed him," Rawan said, referring to her older brothers. Although he was only a child, she said she feared her younger brother would become like her older siblings.

The family includes two other sisters, aged five and 12. Reem said she and her sister feel terrible about leaving them, although they "hope their family will get a lesson from this and it might help to change their lives for the better."

Reem and Rawan decided to escape while on a family holiday in Sri Lanka in September. They had secretly saved around $5,000 since 2016, some of it accumulated by scrimping on items they were given money to buy.

The timing of their escape was carefully planned to coincide with Rawan's 18th birthday so she could apply for a visitor's visa to Australia without her parents' approval.

But what was supposed to be a two-hour stopover in Hong Kong has turned into nearly six months and the sisters are now living in fear that they will be forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia.

They have said they have renounced Islam - a crime punishable by death under the Saudi system of sharia, or Islamic law, although the punishment has not been carried out in recent memory.

The pair say they have changed locations 13 times in Hong Kong, living in hotels, shelters and with individuals who are helping, sometimes staying just one night in a place before moving on to ensure their safety.

Vidler said the Hong Kong Immigration Department told the women their Saudi passports had been invalidated and they could only stay in the city until February 28.

The department has said it does not comment on individual cases.

The sisters have applied for asylum in a third country which they declined to name in a bid keep the information from Saudi authorities and their family.

"We believe that we have the right to live like any other human being," said Reem, who said she studied English literature in Riyadh and dreams of becoming a writer one day.

Asked what would happen on Feb 28, after which they can no longer legally stay in Hong Kong, the sisters said they had no idea.

"I hope this doesn't last any longer," Rawan said.

Two sisters from Saudi Arabia who fled the conservative kingdom and have been hiding out in Hong Kong for nearly six months said they did so to escape beatings at the hands of their brothers and father.

Two sisters from Saudi Arabia who fled the conservative kingdom and have been hiding out in Hong Kong for nearly six months said they did so to escape beatings at the hands of their brothers and father. The pair, who say they have renounced their Muslim faith, arrived in the Chinese territory from Sri Lanka in September. They say they were prevented from boarding a connecting flight to Australia and were intercepted at the airport by diplomats from Saudi Arabia. Reuters could not independently verify their story. Asked about the case, Hong Kong police said they had received a report from "two expatriate women" in September and were investigating, but did not elaborate. The Saudi consulate in Hong Kong has not responded to repeated requests from Reuters for comment. The case is the second high-profile example this year of Saudi women seeking to escape their country and spotlights the kingdom's strict social rules, including a requirement that females seek permission from a male "guardian" to travel. The sisters, aged 18 and 20, managed to leave Hong Kong airport but consular officials have since revoked their passports, leaving them stranded in the city for nearly six months, their lawyer, Michael Vidler, said. Vidler, one of the leading activist lawyers in the territory, also confirmed the authenticity of a Twitter account written by the two women describing their plight. On Saturday, dressed in jeans and wearing sneakers, the softly spoken women described what they said was a repressive and unhappy life at their home in the Saudi capital Riyadh. They said they had adopted the aliases Reem and Rawan, because they fear using their real names could lead to their being traced if granted asylum in a third country. They posed for pictures but asked their features not be revealed. Every decision had to be approved by the men in their house, from the clothes they wore to the hairstyle they chose - even the times when they woke and went to sleep, the sisters told Reuters. "They were like my jailer, like my prison officer. I was like a prisoner," said the younger sister, Rawan, referring to two brothers aged 24 and 25 as well as her father. "It was basically modern day slavery. You can't go out of the house unless someone is with us. Sometimes we will stay for months without even seeing the sun," the elder sister, Reem, said. In January, a Saudi woman made global headlines by barricading herself in a Bangkok airport hotel to avoid being sent home to her family. She was later granted asylum in Canada. 'Brother brainwashed' Reem and Rawan said their 10-year-old brother was also encouraged to beat them. "They brainwashed him," Rawan said, referring to her older brothers. Although he was only a child, she said she feared her younger brother would become like her older siblings. The family includes two other sisters, aged five and 12. Reem said she and her sister feel terrible about leaving them, although they "hope their family will get a lesson from this and it might help to change their lives for the better." Reem and Rawan decided to escape while on a family holiday in Sri Lanka in September. They had secretly saved around $5,000 since 2016, some of it accumulated by scrimping on items they were given money to buy. The timing of their escape was carefully planned to coincide with Rawan's 18th birthday so she could apply for a visitor's visa to Australia without her parents' approval. But what was supposed to be a two-hour stopover in Hong Kong has turned into nearly six months and the sisters are now living in fear that they will be forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia. They have said they have renounced Islam - a crime punishable by death under the Saudi system of sharia, or Islamic law, although the punishment has not been carried out in recent memory. The pair say they have changed locations 13 times in Hong Kong, living in hotels, shelters and with individuals who are helping, sometimes staying just one night in a place before moving on to ensure their safety. Vidler said the Hong Kong Immigration Department told the women their Saudi passports had been invalidated and they could only stay in the city until February 28. The department has said it does not comment on individual cases. The sisters have applied for asylum in a third country which they declined to name in a bid keep the information from Saudi authorities and their family. "We believe that we have the right to live like any other human being," said Reem, who said she studied English literature in Riyadh and dreams of becoming a writer one day. Asked what would happen on Feb 28, after which they can no longer legally stay in Hong Kong, the sisters said they had no idea. "I hope this doesn't last any longer," Rawan said.

'I was like a prisoner': Saudi sisters trapped in Hong Kong recall beatings

Two Saudi sisters whose bodies were found taped together on the banks of a New York river committed suicide, the city's medical examiner said on Tuesday.

Rotana Farea, 22, and her sister Tala, 16, were found beside the Hudson River in late October with no visible signs of trauma, dressed all in black with fur-trimmed coat collars.

They were tied together at the ankles and waist by duct tape.

"My office determined that the death of the Farea sisters was the result of suicide, in which the young women bound themselves together before descending into the Hudson River," Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson said.

After their deaths, a police official appeared to confirm that the sisters had applied for asylum, but did not provide further detail.

Fatimah Baeshen, spokeswoman for Saudi Arabia's US embassy in Washington, tweeted that "Reports that we ordered anyone related to the Saudi sisters, Tala and Rotana Farea, God rest their souls, (who recently died tragically in NY), to leave the US for seeking asylum; are absolutely false."

They had run away several times from their family's home in Virginia, where they had not lived since the end of 2017.

The sisters had been placed in a shelter but left Virginia in August and set out for New York. There, they stayed in several different upscale hotels and maxed out a credit card, according to an NYPD spokesman quoted by US media.

A witness reportedly saw the two young women early on October 24 on a playground near the Hudson, where they appeared to be praying.

US media quoted police as saying the sisters had indicated that they would rather harm themselves than return to Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom is one of the world's most restrictive countries for women, a situation highlighted this month by the case of Rahaf Mohammed.

The teenager fled what she said was physical and psychological abuse from her family in the kingdom, and received asylum in Canada.

Two Saudi sisters whose bodies were found taped together on the banks of a New York river committed suicide, the city's medical examiner said on Tuesday. Rotana Farea, 22, and her sister Tala, 16, were found beside the Hudson River in late October with no visible signs of trauma, dressed all in black with fur-trimmed coat collars.

Two Saudi sisters whose bodies were found taped together on the banks of a New York river committed suicide, the city's medical examiner said on Tuesday. Rotana Farea, 22, and her sister Tala, 16, were found beside the Hudson River in late October with no visible signs of trauma, dressed all in black with fur-trimmed coat collars. They were tied together at the ankles and waist by duct tape. "My office determined that the death of the Farea sisters was the result of suicide, in which the young women bound themselves together before descending into the Hudson River," Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson said. After their deaths, a police official appeared to confirm that the sisters had applied for asylum, but did not provide further detail. Fatimah Baeshen, spokeswoman for Saudi Arabia's US embassy in Washington, tweeted that "Reports that we ordered anyone related to the Saudi sisters, Tala and Rotana Farea, God rest their souls, (who recently died tragically in NY), to leave the US for seeking asylum; are absolutely false." They had run away several times from their family's home in Virginia, where they had not lived since the end of 2017. The sisters had been placed in a shelter but left Virginia in August and set out for New York. There, they stayed in several different upscale hotels and maxed out a credit card, according to an NYPD spokesman quoted by US media. A witness reportedly saw the two young women early on October 24 on a playground near the Hudson, where they appeared to be praying. US media quoted police as saying the sisters had indicated that they would rather harm themselves than return to Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is one of the world's most restrictive countries for women, a situation highlighted this month by the case of Rahaf Mohammed. The teenager fled what she said was physical and psychological abuse from her family in the kingdom, and received asylum in Canada.

Two drowned Saudi sisters committed suicide: US medical examiner

saudi-sisters

Saudi Sisters, News on Saudi Sisters, stories on Saudi Sisters, articles on Saudi Sisters, Saudi Sisters stories at Wion, Saudi Sisters news, Saudi Sisters latest news

saudi sisters

Saudi sisters free after six months stranded in Hong Kong

'I was like a prisoner': Saudi sisters trapped in Hong Kong recall beatings

Two drowned Saudi sisters committed suicide: US medical examiner