A group of women have protested topless in Sydney’s CBD for a young Saudi woman who fled her country hoping to gain asylum in Australia.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun has been granted refugee status by the United Nations amid fears her family would kill her for denouncing Islam.

It comes after the 18-year-old was detained at a Thai airport on her way to Australia, where she launched a social media campaign that has garnered worldwide attention.

But Steve Price isn’t so sure a topless protest at Martin Place will help.

“I’m not sure what they were thinking when they decided to take their clothes off,” says Steve.

Secret Sisterhood founder and organiser of the protest Jacqui Love says they wanted to do something “provocative” to get people talking about Saudi teen’s case.

“We wanted to send a message across, that in Australia all women can express themselves and… be free and safe,” she tells Steve.

“Poor Rahaf, she has obviously fled from Saudi Arabia when she hasn’t been safe… so that’s why we want to be there, to show our support.”

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But Steve isn’t convinced it will help Ms Alqunun’s case.

“I think what it does, probably, is for those that support the way that women are treated in Saudi Arabia, they’ll be saying, ‘See, look what’s going to happen, you’re going to end up in a country where people can walk around half-naked in public.”

Image: Twitter, Michelle Brown