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Rizana’s parents appeal

10 June 2010 07:38 am - 18     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The parents of Sri Lankan maid Rizana Nafeek who is accused of murdering a Saudi newborn in 2005 have appealed to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to take suitable action for their daughter’s release since she has been languishing in jail for the past five years.

The appeal for clemency was handed to Bandar Al-Aiban, president of the governmental Human Rights Commission through a proxy in Riyadh.

Rizana Nafeek’s case is in appeal after she was found guilty and sentenced to death. She claims the baby choked during bottle feeding and that her earlier confession is invalid because it was taken while she was in police custody and had no legal representation.

She said language barrier was another factor at that time that makes the confession invalid. The parents maintain that she murdered the infant in vengeance on the 7th day of her job.

A three-member high court in Dawadmi, near Riyadh, handed down the death sentence on June 16, 2007 and on July 15 the judgment was appealed by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) through the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh.

In the letter, the woman’s parents, Mohammed Rafeek and Farina Nazik, insist their daughter is not a murderer.

An HRC source said the organization would not take any action in a pending court case, but that it has been closely monitoring the situation and it would take necessary action following the final verdict — the date of which is  not known and depends on the current proceedings.

The case has been bouncing between courts since it first reached the high court in Riyadh in March 2008. The last hearing of Nafeek’s case took place on Dec. 21.  (Arab News)


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  Comments - 18

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  • Thursday, 10 June 2010 09:32 AM

    What happend to the money offered or given by Mr. Lalith K or ceylinco group???

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 06:43 PM

    Sad for the girl. It's the parents' fault. They KNEW on the day the girl flew to KSA that she was using a forged passport. They could have stopped her. All they wanted to do was to send the daughter and live-off her sweat. I hope the girl gets a second chance in life.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 11:02 AM

    No Sri Lankan government support at all. Sri Lanka should at least track down illegal agents who send underage girls for foreign employment.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 10:57 AM

    This lady must be provided with effectivce legal representation - either by the SL mission or a volunteer in order to defend herself. It is a pity if she is left to her fate as she may be in no capacity to defend or even to understand the proceedings especially if the evidence is fabricated. Otherwise sadly - frying pan to the oven.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 10:17 AM

    brother, there is no jungle law, there they have islamic law therefore don't think like this.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 10:14 AM

    The parents of this innocent girls were deceived by the bogus agent.....only aim for such agents is to make money either by killing dogs....the real culprit of of the murder is that agent.... government must take tough action against this fraudulent agents....LADIES should not be allowed to go abroad for the housemaid jobs and it is not fair to criticise or blame the laws of other countries since it is our obligation to follow and obey to the particular country laws as we are not given any licenses to do any crimes in their countries........

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 10:08 AM

    May justice prevail in this case for this girl.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 09:38 AM

    Bangladesh is one of the poorest country in the south asia, dosent send their ladies to this middle east countries.......so i think SL too should adopt such a policy not to send female workers to the Gulf......

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 09:33 AM

    SFK, you are right the foreign exchange is from the overseas workers in general but these maids are (if paid) paid a extremely poor salary. 90 % of the employers of these poor women are defaulters. they are not even properly fed.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 07:54 AM

    It is better for these girls to sell 'kasippu' in Sri Lanka to earn a living rather than undertaking the dangerous job of housemaid.
    High time the govt. of Sri Lanka banned sending housemaid like so many other countries, after facing similar fate.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 09:24 AM

    Sin this Girl...She got caught in a dangerous country. Already she spent 5 years in jail....NOw they want to kill her...

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 09:05 AM

    I too am totally against exporting housemaids to middle east. But poverty, family obligations, debts, children's future etc overule everything.
    Hunger makes people forget their dignity and respect. No women will go abroad to work as slaves for a couple of years without seeing their loved ones if there is a way to earn half of that income at home.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 09:03 AM

    Well Said, Saudi Arabia has the laws of the jungle.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 08:55 AM

    Hope relief and justice be metted.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 08:54 AM

    since I work in the Gulf I know how bad these arabic people are....this is no place for our ladies to work as house maids..instead promote more proffesionals to these countries....we can get better foriegn earning.......

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 08:39 AM

    Can not agree with selling Kasippu. But definitely agree with that fact that government should consider putting an end to sending Sri Lankan women into these middle east countries as housemaids.

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 08:37 AM

    Will this ordeal ever be stopped for these poor Sri Lankan women who are not only breadwinners for their families but also contribute to the national income of our motherland which is governed by impotent criminals who do not care about the country or its citizens?

    Thursday, 10 June 2010 08:34 AM

    S.H.M. might not be aware that the major foreign earnig of the country is generated by these poor Sri Lankan maids


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