Amina Al-Jeffery: 'Locked up' woman must be allowed home

Amina Al-Jeffery claims she is being kept in a caged room in Saudi Arabia

A woman who claims her father has kept her locked up against her will in Saudi Arabia must be allowed to return to Britain, a UK judge has ruled.

A school yearbook photograph of Amina Al-Jeffery

Amina Al-Jeffery, 21, who was born and brought up in Swansea, was taken to Jeddah in 2012 by her father, Mohammed, who said he did it to "save her life".

Mr Al-Jeffery has denied the allegations at the High Court.

But Mr Justice Holman said she had been "deprived of her liberty" and her father must facilitate her return.

Ms Al-Jeffery, who has dual nationality, says her father took the action against her will after she "kissed a guy".


Delivering the court order, Mr Justice Holman said Mr Al-Jeffery "must permit and facilitate the return of Amina if she so wishes to Wales or England and pay the airfare" by 11 September.

However, he accepted there was "little or nothing this court could do" to enforce the order if Mr Al-Jeffery "was determined not to comply with it". But he said Mr Al-Jeffery might face contempt of court proceedings if he returned to Britain without having complied.

Mr Justice Holman added: "There are no conventions between Britain and Saudi Arabia. The courts in Saudi Arabia would not even recognise the basis of the claim, because it does not recognise dual nationality."

Her lawyer, Anne-Marie Hutchinson QC, said she has been unable to take instruction from Ms Al-Jeffery, who sent her emails in December 2015.