Saudi Arabia Freezes Canada Trade Ties, Expels Canadian Ambassador

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

Saudi Arabia has expelled the Canadian Ambassador and frozen trade ties with the nation after a rupture of relations over Canada’s “interference in the internal affairs” of the Islamic kingdom.

In a series of tweets on Aug. 5, the Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry declared they were expelling the Canadian Ambassador Dennis Horak and were recalling its own envoy in Canada. The kingdom has also frozen all new trade and investment transactions between the two nations.