（中央社利雅德6日綜合外電報導）沙烏地阿拉伯今晨以加拿大「干預」內政為由，宣布驅逐加拿大大使並召回沙烏地大使，同時凍結與加拿大的商業關係。
加拿大駐利雅德大使館要求沙烏地釋放人權運動人士後，沙烏地外交部說：「沙烏地阿拉伯王國…無法接受內政遭受干預。」
根據沙烏地新聞社（SPA）取得的沙烏地外交部聲明，沙烏地將暫停與加拿大的新貿易和投資活動，並且對加拿大大使下24小時通牒要求離境，同時召回沙烏地駐加拿大大使，未來不排除採取進一步行動。
沙烏地外交部已獲簡報，得知加拿大外交部和大使館敦促沙烏地有關當局「即刻釋放」民權活動人士。
Samar Badawi, centre, is seen with Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama in 2012. (Gary Cameron/Reuters)
On Thursday, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said she was “very alarmed” by the news of Samar Badawi’s arrest, the sister of imprisoned blogger Raif Badawi. Freeland called on Saudi Arabia to release both.
Samar Badawi is a prominent women’s rights advocate, and her brother Raif has been in a Saudi jail since 2012 for his criticism of the regime and was lashed 50 times in 2015.
Ensaf Haidar, the Canadian wife of Raif Badawi, told CBC News on Sunday that she was taken by surprise by the news that Saudi Arabia is taking measures against Canada in retaliation for its support of jailed activists.
Haidar said she will continue to fight for her husband.