Riyadh – Mubasher: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recalled its ambassador in Canada Naif bin Bandir Alsudairy late Sunday and gave Canadian ambassador in Saudi Dennis Horak 24 hours to leave the kingdom after criticising the arrest of civil society activists.

The oil-rich country considered Canadian comments as interference in Saudi local affairs.

Saudi also decided to freeze all trade and investment deals with the North American nation, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The kingdom also retained the right to take further or other measures.

The Saudi body described what the Canadian embassy and foreign minister had said as “false allegations” that were “not based on truth,” the SPA added.

This procedure occurred after Canada’s global affairs and foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland, last week, called on Saudi authorities to release an activist.