Police take abused maids to jail in Saudi Arabia

Arab News:

One of the Indonesian maids allegedly beaten up by her employers two weeks ago was taken into custody on Monday from hospital where she was being treated for her injuries.

The Indonesian Embassy was not informed beforehand of the transfer nor has it been allowed official access to the woman or her fellow maid, who was also beaten up by the employers and is still in hospital.

“Tari Tarsim, 27, has been taken away by police to an unknown destination, while Ruminih Surtim, 25, is still in the hospital recovering from her injuries,” Sukamto Javaladi, labor counselor at the Indonesian Embassy, told Arab News yesterday.

A vicious attack two weeks ago on four maids working for the same employers in Aflaj in the Riyadh region resulted in the death of Siti Tarwiyah Slamet, 32, and Susmiyati Abdul Fulan, 28. Tari and Ruminih were left severely injured in the incident. Seven members of the family that the maids were working for are also being held.

The Indonesian Embassy has not yet been officially notified of the incident and only found out about it through Indonesian nationals in Aflaj.

Tarsim and Surtim were admitted into intensive care at Aflaj General Hospital and then were transferred last week to the Riyadh Medical Complex where they have been placed under 24-hour police guard.

“Tari was transferred to police custody yesterday (Monday) but we don’t know why,” said Adi Dzul Fuat, vice consul at the Indonesian Embassy. “The policewoman guarding their room at the hospital told us that Tari has been transferred to jail,” he said.

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Tarsim spoke to Arab News about the attack when she was at Aflaj Hospital. She said that the 17-year-old son of her employer whipped her with his igal accusing her of practicing witchcraft.

The Indonesian Embassy is worried that once Surtim’s condition improves she would also be taken into custody. The maids have been denied access to visitors and legal consultation.

“Not allowing officials from the embassy to visit the two maids is in violation of the international Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963 Article 36 and not informing the embassy of the two maids’ death without delay is a violation of the convention’s Article 37. And denying the maids legal consultation is in violation of Investigation and Public Prosecution Procedures in Saudi Arabia, which states that every accused has the right to have a lawyer present during questioning and to have legal representation,” said Nasser Al-Dandani, the lawyer hired by the embassy to follow up on the case.

Speaking about accusations that the maids practiced witchcraft, which is a legal offense, Al-Dandani said, “The maids are denying this completely. And regardless of whether it is true or not, the accusations do not give employers the right to beat them and kill them.”

The Indonesian Embassy has requested, through diplomatic channels, custody of the two maids and assured authorities that they would ensure they would cooperate with police. However, a response has not yet been received.

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Saudi Arabia maybe one of the strangest countries in the world. Where else can you be taken to jail after being beaten by your boss? This is right up there with that Shari'a custom of charging rape victims with adultery. You would think that the authorities would at least explain why the surviving maids were taken to jail. And, witchcraft? Who knew that Indonesian maids were Wiccans?