Saudi academic told to return 'caged' daughter to UK
Saudi academic Mohammed Al-Jeffery must facilitate the return of his 21-year-old daughter Amina to the UK, a High Court judge has ruled today.
The judge in the case said Amina was being constrained at her father's home in Saudi Arabia - and said he had the power to help her.
Mr Justice Holman said today the issue was whether he should exercise that power.
Amina Al-Jeffery - who grew up in Swansea and has dual British and Saudi Arabian nationality - says her father, Saudi Arabian academic Mohammed Al-Jeffery, locks her up because she ''kissed a guy''.
Lawyers representing Miss Al-Jeffery (pictured) have taken legal action and asked Mr Justice Holman to look at ways of helping her.
The judge, who analysed the argument at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London in July, delivered his ruling today.
Mr Justice Holman was told that Miss Al-Jeffery left Swansea and moved to Saudi Arabia with her family four years ago.
Mr Justice Holman said he had concluded that Miss Al-Jeffery's freedom of movement had been severely constrained.
He said she could be described as "caged" - although not literally "in a cage".
"This is a very unusual case," said Mr Justice Holman. "I have a very wide range of powers."
But he said the issue was: "How far could or should this court go to seek to protect a British citizen who resides abroad?"
