Saudi Arabia Tells Canadian Ambassador To Leave, Says ‘Persona Non Grata’

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Saudi Arabia has declared the ambassador of Canada persona non grata and ordered him to leave in 24 hours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

The Kingdom is also recalling its ambassador to Ottawa and that it is freezing all new business and investment transactions with Canada  “while retaining its right to take further action,” the ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The ministry said it has told the Canadian foreign minister and embassy in Riyadh of its objection to their interference in the case of “civil society activists” who were arrested in the Kingdom. Canada has been pressing the Kingdom to release them immediately.

“This negative and surprising position from Canada is totally false” and that the arrests were done by the competent authority, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, in accordance with the law, the statement said. “The legitimate rights (of those arrested) have not been denied and they were provided with all guarantees during the investigation and trial stages,” the statement said.

The ministry also affirmed that the Canadian position “is an explicit and clear interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and contrary to the most basic international norms and all the charters that govern relations between countries.”

“It is blatant and unacceptable transgression against the Kingdom’s regulations and procedures and in violation of the judicial authority in the Kingdom. In its long history, Saudi Arabia has not and will not accept intervention in its internal affairs or impose dictates on it from any country.

“The Canadian position is an attack on Saudi Arabia that requires a firm stance towards it. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its absolute and categorical rejection of the position of the Canadian government,” it said.

Arab News

Arab News is Saudi Arabia's first English-language newspaper. It was founded in 1975 by Hisham and Mohammed Ali Hafiz. Today, it is one of 29 publications produced by Saudi Research & Publishing Company (SRPC), a subsidiary of Saudi Research & Marketing Group (SRMG).

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