Canada Defiant After Saudi Arabia Freezes New Trade Over Human Rights Call

The Canadian government called for the immediate release of several jailed civil society and women’s rights activists last week, including Samar Badawi (pictured), sister of blogger Rafi Badawi, who was arrested on July 30, 2018, in Saudi Arabia. Alex Wong/Getty Images

RIYADH/OTTAWA—Canada on Aug. 6 refused to back down in its defense of human rights after Saudi Arabia froze new trade and investment and expelled the Canadian ambassador in retaliation for Ottawa’s call to free arrested Saudi civil society activists.

In her first public response to Saudi Arabia’s actions, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said, “Canada will always stand up for human rights in Canada and around the world, and women’s rights are human rights.”