Saudi Arabia withdraws its ambassador from Canada and declared Ambassador of Canada to be a non grata person

The Saudi Foreign Ministry recalled its ambassador to Ottawa for consultations and declared the Canadian Ambassador to Riyadh a non grata person.

This is reported by the Saudi news agency.

The Canadian Ambassador to Riyadh was obliged to leave the country for 24 hours.

Also, the kingdom freezes all new trade and investment transactions with Canada, leaving the right to take other measures.

The Foreign Ministry said they were told that such a decision was an answer to "interference in Saudi Arabia's internal affairs, which is contrary to international norms and violates the principle of sovereignty."

"The position of Canada is an attack on Saudi Arabia, which is unacceptable in relations between the states," the statement says.

Recently, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Christa Friland, called on the Saudi authorities to release previously detained civic activists.

In May, Saudi activists arrested for women's rights were arrested.

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