Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: At least two soldiers killed by anti-tank missile fired at Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip
Local Syrian sources: Mortar shells fell on more than nine villages in the Sweida countryside
Local Syrian sources: Dozens of dead and wounded have arrived at Sweida hospitals as a result of ongoing clashes at several locations in the western Sweida countryside
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes
Israeli media outlet: Security incident reported in the Gaza Strip
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation

Sisters who fled Saudi Arabia as teens to Australia found dead

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 20 Jun 2022 15:08
  • 5 Shares
4 Min Read

Two sisters, who fled Saudi Arabia as adolescents in search of a safe haven in Australia, were discovered dead in "suspicious" circumstances in a south-west Sydney apartment.

  • x
  • Saudi sisters who fled as teens to Australia found dead in apartment
    Saudi sisters who fled as teens to Australia found dead in apartment

Two sisters were discovered dead in a south-west Sydney flat under "suspicious" circumstances. The women left Saudi Arabia as adolescents to seek refuge in Australia.

Officers doing a welfare check discovered the ladies, aged 23 and 24, in separate beds of their first-floor Canterbury flat on June 7 after the couple failed to pay rent for four weeks and mail began to pile up outside their door.

Horrific news. Two sisters, aged 23 & 24, found dead in a Sydney unit were reportedly Saudi asylum seekershttps://t.co/gtlLAlD2K2

— Sophie McNeill (@Sophiemcneill) June 18, 2022

The remains of the sisters had been there for "some time", according to police, and showed "no obvious signs of injury."

Authorities are treating their deaths as "suspicious", with the Homicide Squad investigating.

According to the Daily Mail Australia, the sisters escaped Saudi Arabia without their families in 2017, when they were 18 and 19, and NSW Police are now attempting to identify their relatives.

Two sisters were found "decaying" in their apartment near Sydney as it's revealed they had fled Saudi Arabia in 2017 as teens for the safety of Australia https://t.co/9EjNPSZs2D pic.twitter.com/Xi6vM9kBE2

— Andreas Harsono (@andreasharsono) June 18, 2022

The women had been working with a refugee service for five years, assisting foreign nationals fleeing persecution and seeking asylum.

Police were still awaiting autopsy findings on Friday and have yet to locate and contact the women's families in the Middle East in order to properly identify the dead.

According to Daily Mail Australia, the sisters were not in frequent communication with their families back home.

In January 2019, the elder sister obtained an AVO against a 28-year-old guy, according to the Daily Mail Australia. It is unclear whether the man was a relative or not. Later, the AVO was withdrawn and dismissed.

After the owner of their apartment issued several notices to the women for overdue rent, police showed up at their apartment to hand them an eviction notice when they discovered they had been killed.

The ladies began visiting the adjoining service station in 2020, shortly before the Covid epidemic, and were regulars until two months ago, when they stopped going by. They described the duo, one brunette and one blonde, as "quiet" but "very friendly", and stated that they would only respond to questions.

Related News

Fearing arrests, Australian academics refuse to attend US conferences

Activists to protest Australian arms company supplying 'Israel'

The Daily Mail Australia has also reached out to the Saudi Consulate General for comment.

According to a 2019 Four Corners story, over 80 Saudi Arabian women attempted to seek refuge in Australia in recent years.

Read more: KSA hides abuses in migrant centers amid arrests campaign

Many of them were escaping Saudi Arabia's male guardianship rules, which empower their spouses, fathers, siblings, uncles, and sons to manage their lives, according to the research.

Numerous human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch have commented on Saudi Arabia's horrendous slate of human rights abuses, from torture reports to murdering journalists and executing dissidents.

Read more: Saudi Arabia carries out mass execution of 81 people

The women were characterized as "timid" in one of the inspections and refused to let anyone into the residence.

However, following protestations from a concerned party, the sisters reluctantly agreed to the check but spent it huddled together in the far corner of the apartment.

As they answered simple questions about their well-being, one sat down and the other cowered behind her.

According to a source, "They were standoffish and didn't really want to talk."

According to a source, the initial check was made by police in March, with authorities departing after the women maintained they were OK.

In a separate incident months ago, the sisters' black car was keyed and hauled away from their residence last week, maybe suggesting an act of vengeance.

In 2018, a similar story surfaced in the United States. Two sisters were found dead in the Hudson River, duct-taped together. The sisters were also seeking asylum in the US from Saudi Arabia.

In 2019, two Saudi sisters escaping Saudi Arabia were left stranded in Hong Kong on their way to Australia. At the time, the sisters stated that they feared for their life.

  • Sydney
  • Australia
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Human Rights

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS