Saudi Sisters On The Run Get Another Month In HK

Two sisters who've been in hiding in Hong Kong since fleeing their native Saudi Arabia in September have been told they will now be "tolerated" in the SAR until April 8.

But a lawyer says immigration officials have warned the pair are still liable to prosecution and deportation.

The sisters – who have adopted the aliases Reem and Rawan – said in a statement that they "feel like fish trapped in a little oasis that is rapidly drying out" and are living in constant fear of being found by the Saudi authorities and forced to return to the kingdom.

The women claim they fled Saudi Arabia after renouncing Islam, a move which carries the death penalty in the country.

They say Saudi consular officials tried to kidnap them at Hong Kong airport and prevented them from flying to Australia as they intended. They also claim their passports were later revoked, leaving them stuck in the SAR.

Hong Kong officials had previously said the sisters would be allowed to stay in the territory until the end of February on humanitarian grounds while they sought an emergency visa to a third, safe, country.

On Thursday, human rights lawyer Michael Vidler, who is acting on behalf of the sisters, confirmed in a statement that immigration authorities would further tolerate the pair's presence in the SAR until April 8.

But he noted that a letter from the Director of Immigration asserted that the women, aged 18 and 20, would also be "liable to prosecution and removal as overstayers."

Vidler said they are seeking clarification from the authorities and are continuing to press for an urgent determination of the sisters' visas to a third country.