Saudi- Indonesia Attempts to Save 28 on Death Row

MENAFN – Arab News

(MENAFN – Arab News) Indonesia has called home its ambassador to Saudi Arabia for consultation following the execution of an Indonesian maid in Makkah on Saturday.

“The Foreign Affairs Ministry in Jakarta has recalled Ambassador Gatot Abdullah Mansyur for consultations and to discuss measures to solve other serious cases,” said Wishnu Krishnamurthi, spokesman of the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, on Monday. “A note of protest over the beheading of Indonesian maid Ruyati binti Sapubi has been sent to the Saudi side.”

Krishnamurthi added that the Kingdom carried out the execution by sword without giving Indonesia prior notice.

Sapubi’s family has sought the government help to get the body to Indonesia. The maid from Bekasi district, Western Java, was executed for murdering her 70-year-old Saudi woman employer in January 2010.

Didi Wahjudi, a representative from the Indonesian Consulate in Jeddah, said neither the consulate nor the embassy was informed of the execution. The protest has been lodged because Indonesia was still trying to settle her case and seek clemency, he added.

Krishnamurthi said his government has stepped up efforts to save 28 Indonesians on death row.

“A plan is under way to reach a settlement in all cases either in the courts or through exerting more efforts in cooperation with Saudi officials for out-of-court settlements,” added Krishnamurthi.

He pointed out that the Indonesian diplomatic missions were seeking pardons from families of the victims in several such cases.

“We are quite hopeful that the embassy and the consulate will manage to secure pardons either by talking or by giving blood money to the victims’ families, which will pave the way for their release,” said the spokesman.

He said Indonesia had succeeded in solving three out of the 31 cases.

“These three Indonesians have been repatriated after they were pardoned by the families of the victims,” said the spokesman.

The move comes after human rights and labor activists called on the Indonesian government to take immediate action to assist Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia.

Asked about the serious cases, Krishnamurthi said as many as 22 migrant workers out of the 28 are facing the same fate as Sapubi.

According to a report, a total of 316 Indonesians are currently involved in legal cases in Saudi Arabia, including those who have been sentenced to death.

The spokesman said Jakarta would strive to ensure they did not meet the same fate as Sapubi.

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