URGENT ACTION NEED: Rights body urged to revised the decision against Rizana

Re: The Death Sentence on Rizana Nafeek -- the Sri Lankan maid sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia

(October 25, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) “ I am writing this urgently on seeing the newspaper report at the Arab News which stated that the court in Riyadh has endorsed the death sentence given to Rizana Nafeek. The newspaper report is attached. We have tried to contact the Sri Lankan Embassy in Saudi Arabia and the Minister of External Affairs in Colombo for more details about this verdict and also to find out what the Sri Lankan authorities are doing about this case. However, the Embassy has not given a clear answer and the External Affairs ministry spokesman is not contactable,” Basil Fernando of the the Asian Human Rights Commission says in a letter to Ms. Navanethem Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights, to urged her to pay attention in an immediate effect of this crucial decision by the Saudi Court against the young women who was born in Sri Lanka.

According to the letter, “ We are very anxious and concerned because in Saudi Arabia once the death sentence is confirmed the sentence can be carried out quickly. We are writing this to seek your immediate intervention for saving the life of Rizana Nafeek. We hope that you will take this case up on an urgent basis with the authorities in Saudi Arabia and in particular, his Excellency King Abdullah.”

“We have earlier provided all the information on this case to your office and we believe that your predecessor had also intervened in this case. If you need any further information please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to provide any further assistance,” the AHRC urged. Tell a Friend