Jammiyathul Ulama appeals against Rizana’s verdict

Mohammed Naalir

COLOMBO: The Jammiyathul Ulama Council Kinniya Branch has made a humanitarian appeal against the verdict imposed on Rizana Nazik who is in death row for allegedly murdering the four month infant of her employer in Saudi Arabia.

The Council has mentioned in its appeal that considering the family background and the girl’s age, she should be considered for pardon.

Rizana’s family is poor and experienced the worst outcome of the ethnic conflict, the Council said.

The girl was sent to Saudi Arabia on a fake travel document by a foreign employment agency while she was only 17. The All Ceylon Jammiyathul Ulama Kinniya Branch President Moulavi A.R. Nasar said Rizana had not had any previous experience in handling an infant.

She is poor in Arabic language and was not given any legal assistance. The verdict against the girl was unfair and should be reconsidered, they said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila is to leave for Saudi Arabia with the Rizana’s parents.

Bhaila will be accompanied by Jammiyathul Ulama Representative Moulavi M.B.M. Zarook and Director General of Middle East and North Africa Affairs at the Foreign Ministry Ibrahim Sahib Ansar and Rizana’s father M.S. Sulthan and mother S.A. Rajeena.

Rizana from Muttur arrived in Saudi Arabia on May 4, 2005 as a housemaid in the household of Naif Jiziyan Khalif Al Otaibi. A few days later she was transferred to the family household in Dawadami about 390 km from Riyadh. She was serving there for some time.

The infant chocked to death on May 25, 2005 while Rizana was feeding it.

The employer argued that the girl deliberately killed the infant.