ABHA/RIYADH, 30 July 2005 — A 26-year-old mother of three convicted of murdering a man six years ago moved closer to the executioner’s block after the slain man’s family refused all public pleas to forgive her and demanded that the state execute her.
Several tribal leaders of the Asir region as well as members from the Shoura Council arrived in the city of Khamis Mushayt on Thursday to visit the victim’s family members to try to persuade them for forgiveness. The mayor of Khamis Mushayt as well as tribal leaders from Qahtan and Shahran engaged in a five-hour discussion with the survivors, as citizens across Asir were waiting in anticipation that their pleas would find mercy in the hearts of the victim’s family to forgive the woman.
However, the victim’s brothers insisted the girl be executed and refused any forgiveness on their part. Officials decided to postpone the execution date until next week.
Other tribal leaders and important public figures are expected to visit the city this week to continue to try to persuade the family to forgive the girl and spare her life, especially since she is the mother of three young children and has expressed regret over the death of their kinsman.
The story started six years ago when the young lady — 20 years old and married at the time — became involved in an affair with a Saudi man.
After secretly dating him for some time, he demanded sex from the woman and threatened her with death if she refused. She killed him while defending her honor as he attempted to rape her.
The woman, known publicly now as the “Khamis Mushayt Girl,” has spent the last five years in the Women’s jail in Abha. She confessed to the police and told her story to the religious court regarding the motives behind the murder. However, a religious court ruling ordered her execution according to Shariah law — regardless of the motives or the circumstances.
In her five years behind bars, the young mother has expressed remorse over her actions and has turned to God, memorizing the entire Qur’an in the process. During her prison stay, she has lost her father who stood by her until his death.
“I will never give up on her,” her husband told Arab News. She is the mother of three children, one of whom was born in prison.
Hundreds of Asir residents gathered at the house of Mayor Hussein Mushayt in Khamis Mushayt yesterday to express concern over the planned public execution. The city of Khamis Mushayt, which is relatively small, has been crowded with residents who have flocked to the town to muster sympathy for the girl.
Many broke down in tears when they learned that the slain man’s family refused all public pleas and demanded execution.
A website was constructed to gather public support for the condemned woman on the Internet. So far the number of people visiting the website has been impressive.
“Some 53,000 people visited the website, even though it has only been constructed in the past three weeks,” said Dr. Waleed Abu Milhahe, webmaster of the site. “Her story has become the talk of Saudis and non-Saudis.”
Abu Milhahe said that the citizens of Asir have still not given up hope and pray that well-known Saudis may be able to persuade the slain man’s family to show mercy.
“Many people from around the world, including the United States and Canada, have also sent pleas for forgiveness on the website,” Abu Milhahe said. The Khamis Mushayt girl was due to be executed in a public square two days ago; the postponement gives her a few more days among the living and her children a few more days with a mother. And it gives the slain man’s family a few more days to decide between vengeance — or forgiveness.
