(File photo)
STATEMENT BY WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS, CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS.
Death Sentence Imposed on a Sri Lankan Migrant Worker in Saudi Arabia
We the undersigned express our deep dismay and distress that as a yet unnamed Sri Lankan housemaid living in Saudi Arabia has been found guilty of adultery and has been sentenced to death by stoning.
According to newspaper reports, a court in Riyadh sentenced the woman, reportedly a mother of two, based on her confession. The male worker involved in the case who has been found guilty of fornication (as he is not married) has been given a sentence of 100 lashes. Little is known of the circumstances of the case; generally these cases are difficult to prove as it must be corroborated by four male witnesses or eight female witnesses. However since the woman pleaded guilty the case has been exempted from this standard of proof.
In response to the conviction, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and the Ministry of Foreign Employment has expressed concern and instructed the Sri Lankan Embassy in Saudi Arabia to take all steps to save the convicted woman. The SLBFE has hired a lawyer to appear on behalf of the woman in order to obtain a revocation of the death sentence. Minister Thalatha Athukorale has however noted that this would be an uphill task given that the woman has confessed to the offence.
This is the second instance that a Sri Lankan housemaid has been given the death sentence. Previously Rizana Nazeek was beheaded on 9th January 2013 for the alleged murder of a four-month old baby boy. Nafeek’s conviction was also based on a confession, which she later claimed was made under duress and without linguistic assistance. Following a case which dragged on for five years and despite appeals made by the government of Sri Lanka and international and local women’s and human rights organisations, the Saudi government went ahead with her execution in January 2013.
According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia is amongst the top three countries that implement the death penalty and the majority of those who are executed are foreign nationals convicted for non-lethal crimes such as adultery, apostasy, sorcery and witchcraft.
We appeal to THE RESPECTIVE AUTHORITIES TO take all possible measures to revoke the death sentence and ensure the migrant worker’s safe return to Sri Lanka. We EARNESTLY call on you to expeditiously bring to bear all possible means to ensure that the migrant worker is granted justice. We further call on you to ensure that Sri Lankan migrant workers are granted all possible support and protection to ensure their human rights.
Sincerely
1. Action Network for Migrant Workers (ACTFORM)
2. Centre for Policy Alternatives
3. Centre for Social Concerns, Jaela
4. Ceylon Workers Red Flag Union
5. Citizens Voice for Justice and Peace
6. Domestic Workers Union
7. Families of the Disappeared
8. Kantha Shakthi Forum
9. Lanka Estate Workers Union
10. United Federation of Labour
11. Lawyers Collective for democracy
12. Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum
13. Red Flag Women’s Movement
14. Rights Now
15. Rural Women’s Front, Galle
16. Savisthri Women’s Movement for Justice
17. Sri Lanka Women’s NGO Forum (SLWNGOF)
18. Suriya Women’s Development Centre, Batticaloa
19. Trikone Cultural Centre
20. Woman’s Power
21. Women and Media Collective (WMC)
22. Women In Need
23. Women’s Resource Center, Kurunegala
24. Association for War Affected Women, Kandy
25. Christian Workers fellowship (CWF)Women Action Network, Jaffna
26. Future In Our Hands
27. The Grassrooted Trust
28. Coalition for Educational development
29. SAHODARATHWA SANSADAYA
30. Christian Alliance for Social Action (CASA)
31. Centre for Peacebuilding and Reconciliation
32. Inter Relligious Federation of Ampara District (IRFAD)
33. Al Minan Women’s Society – Kalmunai
34. Fathima Women’s Society – Central Camp
35. Nisha Women’s Society Kalmunai
36. Ambikai Women’s Society – Central Camp
37. Malar Villy Society Central Camp
38. Sivasakthi Women’s Society Central Camp
39. Ina Ottrumaikana Pengal Abiviruthy Ondriyam Central Camp
40. Women’s Political Academy
41. Amal Mohamed
42. Amita Weerasinghe
43. Ameena Hussein
44. Anberiya Hanifa
45. Ann Jabbar
46. Ainslie Joseph
47. Annie Kurian
48. Anoma Alankara
49. Anoma Manoranjani
50. Aparna Gurusinghe
51. Aasha
52. A.H.H.Aqila
53. Asma Jabir
54. Arafa Jaleel Khan
55. Azra Abdul Cader
56. Balachandran Gowthaman
57. Balasingham Skanthakumar
58. Bhavani Fonseka
59. Bhoomi Harendran
60. Britto Fernando
61. Camena Gunaratne
62. Chandani K.A Malagammana
63. Chandralal Colombage
64. Cayathri. D
65. Caryll Tozer
66. Chandrika Gadiewasam
67. Christine Perera
68. Chulani Kodikara
69. D.R.Jayathilake
70. David Gunaratnam
71. Damaris Wickremesekera
72. Deeptha Bandara
73. Dhammika Karunaratne
74. Dharmasiri Bandaranayake
75. Dinushika Dissanayake
76. Elanda Delwala
77. Faizun Zackariya
78. Fahrun Muthalif
79. Farzana Jaleel Khan
80. Florine Marzook
81. G.W.Padmaseeli
82. Gamini Ruberu
83. Gamini Viyangoda
84. Gehan Gunatilleke
85. Geethika Rupasinghe
86. Gratian A. Peiris
87. H.M. Subharatne Menike
88. Harini Amarasuriya
89. Hans Billimoria
90. Hilmy Ahamed
91. Hishama Matheen
92. Hemalatha
93. H.Nuwaiza
94. Hyshyama Hamin
95. Iman Mohamed
96. Indra Swarnaseeli
97. Inshira Laffir
98. Irina Jabir
99. Jagath Siriwardena
100. Dr. Jameel,
101. Jezima Ismail
102. Jailabdeen Shiam
103. Prof. Jayantha Seneviratne
104. K.A.Jayasinghe Perera
105. J. Madanaruby
106. Kalani Subasinghe
107. Kumudini Samuel
108. K.Nishanthini
109. K.Wijeyluxmy
110. K. Vinoja
111. K.L.M.Azeez
112. Fr Kirubairajah
113. Kusum Siriwardena
114. Lesley Sirimane
115. Leila Udayar
116. Lallani Kalupahans
117. Linus Jayathilaka
118. Dr L Solomons
119. Dinoo Mumthahana J.
120. M. Indrawathi
121. Mahendran Thiruvarangan
122. Maithree Wickramasinghe
123. Marisa de Silva
124. Mahinda Jayawardena
125. Mala Dissanayake
126. Mary Heather White
127. Menaha Kandasamy
128. Menike Wannisooriya
129. Melisha Yapa
130. Mirak Raheem
131. Mohamed Nuhman
132. Mujeebur Rahman
133. M.M.Jenita
134. M.S.Thevagowry
135. Nayagara Jinadasa
136. Nadira Salih
137. Neil Priyantha Fernando
138. Nimalka Fernando
139. Noorul Zaniha Jainulabdeen
140. N. Zairina Ariff
141. Nishani Punchihewa
142. Nirmalani Perera
143. Nimnaz Jabir
144. Padma Pushpakanthi
145. Paba Deshapriya
146. Pavithra Sajeevani
147. Philip Setunga
148. Piyumi Tharaka
149. Priyadarshanie Ariyaratne
150. Prabha Gurusinghe
151. P.Selvaratnam
152. Preethika Weerawansa
153. Premapala Hewabatage
154. Prema Gamage
155. Paul Hogan
156. Ranga Bandaranayake
157. Rajee Clerk
158. Ralston Weinman
159. Ramzeen Azeez
160. Rani Jayasinghe
161. Ranjani Mallika
162. Ratna Sandaseeli
163. Rajany. C.
164. Rev. Jason J. Selvaraja, Assembly of God, Chavakachcheri
165. Rev. M. V. E. Ravichandran, Jaffna Diocesan Catholic Youth Federation
166. Riyani
167. Rikaza Laffir
168. Rohini Dep Weerasinghe
169. Rohini Hensman
170. Roshani Fernandopulle
171. Ruki Fernando
172. Rushdi Zackariya
173. Ruwendi Wakwella
174. R.Logitha
175. S. Ananthi
176. S.G.Nishanthini
177. Sathyavani
178. Sandya Salgado
179. Savithri Wijesekera
180. Sepali Kottegoda
181. Selvi Sachithanandam
182. Shafinaz Hassendeen
183. Shreen Saroor
184. Sampath Samarakoon
185. S.A.M.Jabir
186. S. R. H. Hoole
187. S.Unesh Kunalan
188. Sheila Richards
189. Shirani Rathnaweera
190. Shiromi Pathirana
191. Sithy Nabeesa Deen
192. Shyamala Gomez
193. Shyamala Sivagurunathan
194. Shamini
195. Shafnaaz Harees
196. Silma Mohideen Ahamed
197. Sriyani Pathirage
198. Sriyanie Wijesundara
199. Sudarshana Gunawardene
200. Sunil Ranasinghe
201. Sumi Kerison
202. Supipi Jayawardena
203. Smriti Daniel
204. Shiranee Dissanayake
205. S. Rubiya
206. Tanuja Thurairajah
207. T. Chandramohan
208. Thiagi Piyadasa
209. Thilaka Liyanage
210. Thissanthini
211. U.P.M Pathirana
212. U.L.Hafeela
213. U.L.Sameena
214. U.L.Hassen
215. Udeni Thewarapperuma
216. Yasmin Azeez
217. Vasuki Jeyasankar
218. Vasanthagowri
219. Visaka Dharmadasa
220. Viola Perera
221. Visaka Bandaranayake
222. W.A. Dayani
223. Wasantha Dissanayake
224. Zuhri Zackariya
225. Zulfika Ismail