Indonesian Govt Vows to Save Migrants From Death

June 28, 2011


The government has pledged to work to save all Indonesian migrant workers facing the death sentence in Saudi Arabia, an official said on Monday.

Martua Batubara, spokesman for the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, said the government had already established a special task force in Saudi Arabia to provide legal advice to Indonesians facing execution in hopes of helping them win a reprieve.

“The government is committed to saving them from the death penalty,” Martua said. “But at least for now, we have secured the commitment of the kingdom.”

Patrialis Akbar, the minister of justice and human rights, said the Saudi government had pledged to review the cases of 23 Indonesian migrant workers on death row and to release hundreds of their compatriots.

Speaking during a hearing with House of Representatives Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, Patrialis said the promise had been made during a visit to Saudi Arabia in April.

“There is to be an evaluation of the cases of 23 Indonesians facing the death penalty. It is possible to negotiate over the qisas penalty,” Patrialis said, referring to the blood money that may be sought by the victim’s family under Shariah law, the payment of which guarantees a stay of execution.

Patrialis said Riyadh had also pledged to release Indonesian detainees from 13 prisons around the nation who were serving two to five years in jail, he said.

“The Saudi Arabian authority also agreed to help us finance the repatriation of the 316 people,” he said.
Martua said about 140 had already been returned to Indonesia safely. “We have established a special task force there to advocate for the rest,” in addition to providing legal counsel to the those on death row, he said.

Regarding the thousands of Indonesians who overstay their visas in Saudi Arabia, Patrialis said the government had deployed another task force to help them get the documents required to leave the country.

According to ministry data, 4,110 such overstayers have been repatriated since March.

Patrialis added that those who had overstayed would be subject to a strict screening process if they later applied to work in other countries.

Relations between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia have hit rock bottom after the beheading of Indonesian maid Royati binti Sapubi, which was carried out without the knowledge of the Indonesian Embassy in the kingdom.

The government has since announced a moratorium on the sending of migrant workers to Saudi Arabia starting in August.

Meanwhile, the National Board for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Overseas Workers (BNP2TKI), which has been heavily criticized for failing to protect Royati, on Monday opened a crisis center for migrant workers and their families.

The center, at the BBP2TKI office on Jalan M.T. Haryono Kav. 52, Pancoran, Jakarta Selatan, will operate 24 hours and can be reached toll free at 0800-1000, at standard rates at (021) 7981205 or via SMS at 7266, from July 1. It can also be reached through e-mail: halotki@bnp2TKI.go.id.


(x the JG)