The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has renewed its appeal to foreign diplomatic missions in Riyadh to save the life of Rizana Nafeek, a Sri Lankan maid who is facing the death sentence after a baby in her care died.
In July 2007, a three-member court in Dawadmi unanimously found Nafeek, a housemaid who was working for a Saudi household, guilty of the murder of a four-month-old infant who she was asked to bottle-feed by the sponsor’s wife.
The incident took place in May 2005 when the baby was only three weeks old. Subsequently, the appeals court in the Kingdom upheld the judgment in September last year. Since 2005, the maid has been in a jail in Dawadmi, some 320 km from the Saudi capital.
In October 2010, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa appealed to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah requesting clemency for Nafeek.
“In December last year, representatives from the European missions in Riyadh made submissions to the Saudi Foreign Ministry to work out a pardon for the girl who had got into problems when she came to earn money for a better living back home,” said AHRC Executive Director Basil Fernando from Hong Kong.
“I also understand some of the diplomats from the EU missions based in Riyadh had met the lawyer to get first-hand information about the case, which showed a lot of people are worried about the maid’s fate.
Time is running out, we are afraid the execution could be carried out unless the pardon is given by the parents of the infant,” Fernando said.
“We are trying all avenues to save the life of Nafeek,” he said. “I am sure the parents will show mercy to this girl who was only 17 when the incident took place.”