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The agonizing struggle of a 28-year-old mother from Wirral to reunite with her British-born son, Ibrahim Faraj, has reached a critical and painful new phase. Ibrahim, now seven, remains trapped overseas in Saudi Arabia after being snatched and taken by his father in November 2022—a parental abduction case that has now spanned over a year, leaving a community heartbroken and demanding answers.
The young mother has not seen her son since he was illegally removed from the UK, where he was born and raised. Her fight, which began in frantic secrecy, burst into public view in July 2023 with the determined vow that she “won’t stop fighting” until Ibrahim is returned home. Now, she is intensifying her public and political campaign to overcome the immense legal deadlock.
Complexities of International Law
The heart of the crisis lies in the fact that Saudi Arabia is not a signatory to the Hague Convention, the international treaty designed to swiftly return children abducted across borders. This crucial absence strips the mother of the standard legal recourse and forces her to rely on slow, expensive, and often ineffective foreign court proceedings and diplomatic negotiation.
Sources close to the family confirm that the mother, a pillar of strength through this ordeal, is utilizing every last resource. The campaign has recently focused on appealing directly to the highest levels of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and engaging local representatives to ensure the UK Government prioritizes the safe return of the British citizen.
The father’s actions have effectively severed the child’s ties to his birthplace and his primary caregiver, transforming what should have been a normal childhood into an international custody nightmare. The Wirral community, alongside supporters in areas like Tandridge (London, England Temple), continues to provide financial backing to cover the exorbitant cost of legal fees, recognizing that this is a race against time to prevent the young Ibrahim from being fully assimilated abroad.
This is more than just a family dispute; it is a profound failure of international protection. As the separation enters its second year, the mother's plea is simple and desperate: Bring the UK-born boy, Ibrahim Faraj, home.
