ABHA, 13 October 2006 — In Cell No. 3 of Abha jail lives a famous woman prisoner who has been in the headlines several times. Her name is Samira, though she is better known as the “Khamis Mushayt girl.” And many people are wondering if she is going to be executed or released.
Samira was 19 when she killed a 20-year-old man. She says it was in self-defense. She has been waiting seven years for the victim’s family to pardon her. In an interview with Al-Watan recently, she said: “I am patient and hope that the dead man’s family will pardon me. My hopes are in Allah and the family of the man. If, however, I am executed, even that will not change my confidence in the judgment of Allah.”
She added: “I am strong and will be strong, even if I am facing execution. I believe that I killed the man in self-defense in order to protect my honor. I had no other choice. Allah will give great rewards to the family if they release me. I do not fear death. We will all die one day. I want the family of the dead man to consider me their daughter and to forgive me. This situation could happen to any woman who tries to defend her honor.”
The authorities have questioned Samira three times on different occasions. Each time her story was the same and she has never changed her statement. She admits that she killed the man but that she did so in self-defense. “I did it on my own and no one helped me,” she said. “No one can imagine how difficult it is to spend seven years in great confusion between hope and despair. If someone had helped me, I would have identified that person. I killed him by myself and no one helped me.”
Speaking of her life in prison, Samira said: “Naila Asiri, the prison supervisor, Fawzia, the sociologist, and the other prison staff have helped me cope with prison life. I count the days and nights I spend here. It is very hard to be in prison but they all help me. I know nothing about my case but I have received help and care from the Abha prison administration and the working staff in general. I have learned how to be patient and to deal with those around me. I am a good citizen and a good daughter in my family too. But this is my fate!”
Samira starts her day with Fajr prayer and then breakfast. Later, she goes to the Qur’an school in the prison. After lunch, she takes courses in art, tailoring and mechanics. Then she listens to the radio and participates in religious competitions. In the evening, she reads books provided by the prison library. Before sleeping, she reads Qur’an and this makes her feel closer to God.
“I spend a lot of time on my own wondering about my days and thinking about my fate. The best days are those when my family comes to visit me. I never give up hope, and I keep praying that the man’s family will forgive me. I do not read newspapers; therefore, I don’t know exactly what has been written about me. I have heard that some newspapers have been negative about me. Some even say that I have children but this is not true,” Samira said.
To her, living in prison away from her family and friends is a form of death. Her worst experience was when she heard the news of her father’s death; he died as a result of the stress of her suffering. “I need my mother’s arms around me. I want to live like any normal girl of my age.”
Samira said that if she ever returns to normal life she wishes to be more patient, and she hopes that people will sympathize with her. “I hope people will help me and support me. I want them to pray for me now. I want them to remember me exactly as I remember them.” She also says that she dreams of having a family and children whom she could love and care for.
Samira appealed to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan and the governor of Asir to intervene in her case. “For how long am I going to stay in prison?” she asks. “I have admitted that I killed the man. I have explained the whole case to the authorities in front of the dead man’s brother. How long am I going to wait for execution? How long must I wait for the family to forgive me? I have learned to be patient but seven years in prison are far more difficult to tolerate.”
Naila Asiri, the supervisor of Abha’s prisons, said: “Samira is very patient. However, she has become more depressed recently because of the long time she has spent in prison. She has been in prison longer than any of the other inmates. Most stay for two or three years.”
According to Naila, she is one of the best prisoners “we have.” “Samira is well-behaved. She prays on time, reads Qur’an regularly, and attends religious lectures. She has got her diploma in tailoring, and there are arrangements with King Khaled University for her to continue her education.”
Naila went on to say that Samira is helpful to other prisoners. “She advises them and teaches them Qur’an. She spends a lot of time praying. Prisoners, the security staff and the supervisors love her and wish for her to be released.”
Naila goes on: “Many attempts have been made to convince the dead man’s family to drop the case. They have never answered but we hope that they will respond positively.”
She also added that many experts from Asir and from Riyadh have investigated Samira’s case several times. At no time, however, does Samira change her story and in each interrogation, she confesses that she killed the man.
Naila also said that when Samira’s family visits her, she becomes very happy. “She is depressed if they don’t come to visit her. Her siblings come every week to see her. She is a young girl, with a limited experience of life and she did what she did to protect herself and the honor of her family.”
Naila also asked the family of the dead man to forgive Samira, saying that Samira had spent a hard seven years in prison.
Fawzia, the sociologist, commented: “Samira is becoming psychologically affected because the uncertainty she has lived in for the past seven years. She does not know if she is to be killed or released, and this increases stress and tension but we do our best to comfort her. We keep telling her that Allah will help her because she is a victim of circumstances. She is very much loved by all around her and we all wish her a quick release.”
The general manager of the Prison Department in Abha, Muhammad Khalofa, said that they had made real efforts to help Samira. “We hope that Allah will help her. Authorities and many sheikhs have talked to the family of the dead man and we hope that they will soon forgive her.”
He added that the prison employees and administrative staff all praise Samira’s behavior and character and feel strongly that she is honest. Like many others, he said: “I urge the dead man’s family to forgive her.”