Nathalie Morin, a Canadian citizen born on May eleventh, nineteen eighty-four, in Quebec, has faced significant challenges since relocating to Saudi Arabia in two thousand five. Living with her partner, Saeed Al Shahrani, she has reported experiencing both physical and psychological mistreatment alongside her four children. Nathalie has expressed feelings of isolation, stating that she has no friends in Saudi Arabia and feels shunned due to her foreign background.
Despite her difficult circumstances, Nathalie remains resolute in her decision to stay in Saudi Arabia, primarily because her husband holds custody of their children. In two thousand twelve, there were reports of potential negotiations between the Canadian and Saudi Arabian governments regarding her situation, but these discussions did not lead to a resolution. Efforts by Saudi writer and political activist Wajeha al-Huwaider to assist her have also been unsuccessful.
In two thousand thirteen, an anti-domestic violence campaign was launched in Saudi Arabia, yet the oppressive patriarchal laws in the country have made it challenging for Nathalie to leave, especially without her children. Support from prominent Saudi activists, including Wajeha Al-Huwaider and Fawzia Al-Oyouni, has been met with arrests, further complicating her plight. Nathalie's mother has revealed that three of her four children were born in Saudi Arabia under distressing circumstances, and she has described her daughter as being cut off from the outside world, confined to an apartment in Dammam, and subjected to various forms of violence from her spouse.