Canada's ambassador has been ordered to leave Saudi Arabia within 24 hours after Ottawa criticised the arrest of women’s rights activists.
Saudi Arabia is also freezing all new trade and investment with Canada over its “interference” in the Gulf kingdom’s internal affairs.
Its foreign ministry tweeted that it was expelling the ambassador and recalling its own envoy after Canada said it was “gravely concerned” about the arrests.
The Saudi foreign ministry stated: “Any further step from the Canadian side in that direction will be considered as acknowledgement of our right to interfere in Canadian domestic affairs.”
Global Affairs Canada, managed by the Canadian foreign ministry, had called for the “immediate release” of activists including Samar Badawi, who had been calling for an end to Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship system. Canada’s government has not yet commented.
