UN intervention sought in Rizana case

By MD RASOOLDEEN | ARAB NEWS

RIYADH: The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is to seek the United Nations High Commissioner’s intervention in resolving the case of a Sri Lankan maid who has been in prison since 2005 on allegations that she murdered a Saudi baby in her care.

“The last hearing of Rizana Nafeek was held on Dec. 21 last year and was postponed until Jan. 19, but the case has still not come up for hearing,” said AHRC Executive Director Basil Fernando, speaking from Hong Kong.

Fernando said the commission is receiving enquiries from across the world as to why the maid is still in prison and why a verdict has not been issued.

Fernando said it seems there is no case to answer since the police interpreter who translated the maid’s statement and who is the prosecution’s main witness has left the Kingdom on final exit.

Fernando urged the Sri Lankan mission in Riyadh to take further action on the matter.

The maid was initially convicted of murder at Dawadmi High Court. The AHRC then appealed the case through the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh. The law firm of Khateb Al-Shammary was assigned to deal with the case for SR150,000.

Fernando said that the commission has already paid Al-Shammary SR100,000 and that the remaining balance will be cleared when the final verdict is given in the maid’s favor.

In the last hearing in Dawadmi, Chief Justice Abdullah Al-Rosaimi ordered police to bring the interpreter who translated the maid’s statement to the next hearing, which was supposed to be held in January.

In the court’s last hearing, Nafeek told judges that she confessed to the murder under duress, fearing for her life after being assaulted.

Nafeek is appealing the death sentence and says the baby choked while being bottle-fed. However, the baby’s parents maintain she killed the child.

Nafeek was brought to the Kingdom to work as a housemaid on a passport that falsely stated her age was 23 when, according to her birth certificate, she was only 17, something that is a violation of the Kingdom’s labor laws and international human trafficking laws.

Nafeek came to the Kingdom on May 4, 2005, three months after her 17th birthday, to work for Naif Jiziyan Khalaf Al-Otaibi in Dawadmi, 390km west of Riyadh.

Dr. Kifaya Ifthikar, a social worker who visits Nafeek in jail, told Arab News that the maid is desperate to return home.

Comments

MOHAMMAD

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The reconciliation committee in Makkah and other places which is responsible to convince the victim's kin to accept blood money should consider the maid as a human being and pursue the parents of the kid to accept blood money or forgive the maid.
The international organisations are involved in the issue and that the UN will also get involved,in which case the human traficking law will come in to picture and also the labour law of the kingdom will also come in to picture.So,the saudi parents of the kid will be in deep trouble for violation of two laws.
So,it is better to forgive the maid and not repeat the offence again.
Hope the saudi parents will understand the point.

MANEL FONSEKA

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I was very concerned when there was no report of the Jan 19th hearing; even more so after AHRC's report that the hearing did not take place! So How could Sri Lanka's govt-controlled paper"The Daily News" announce on March 4 that: "The last hearing was held on January 21, 2010.'The next hearing is pending.'" The press report by Rafik Jalaldeen, headlined "Authorities optimistic of saving Rizana" also said: 'Sri Lanka authorities have renewed hopes of saving the life of Rizana Nafik now in death row... A Foreign Ministry spokesman said they were very hopeful of a favorable outcome in the Rizana matter. 'Our officials are working round the clock to secure her release by conferring with the Saudi authorities,' he said. The last hearing was held on January 21, 2010. 'The next hearing is pending." <http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/03/04/news13.asp> If the SL govt claims that the Jan 21st hearing was HELD when it was NOT, what confidence can one have about their "Working round the clock"? Doing WHAT?! Several emails sent by me to the Saudi Arabian Embassy this year concerning Rizana have not even been acknowledged.
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