Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun declared a refugee by UN

The Morrison government is formally considering offering Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun asylum after the UN’s decision.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qanun has been declared a refugee by the UN. Picture: AFP

The Morrison government is formally considering offering Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun asylum after the United Nations declared she was a refugee.

A spokesman for the Department of Home Affairs said it would consider the referral from the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees.

“The UNHCR has referred Ms Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement,” the spokesman said.

“The Department of Home Affairs will consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals.

“The government will be making no further comment on this matter.”

The Australian reported this morning that Immigration Minister David Coleman was likely to offer Ms Alqunun — who believes her family will kill her for leaving the Islamic faith — a humanitarian visa if she was deemed a refugee and passed character and security checks.

The 18-year-old planned to enter Australia on a tourist visa and apply for asylum but was stopped by Thai authorities at an airport in Bangkok on Monday.

Bill Shorten wrote to Scott Morrison this morning and declared Labor would support the government if it offered Ms Alqunun a humanitarian visa.

“Should Ms Mohammed Alqunun be found to have valid protection claims and entitled to asylum, Labor would be supportive of any government moves to offer humanitarian settlement in Australia,” the Opposition Leader wrote.