Lawyers hopeful of pardon for Rizana

SAUDI ARABIA: Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila returned to Sri Lankafollowing a mercy mission to Saudi Arabia to secure a pardon for Rizana Nazik, the Lankan housemaid sentenced to death for the alleged murder of an infant.

The Deputy Minister was accompanied by I. Ansar, Director General/Middle East & Africa Division of the Foreign Ministry and Moulavi M.B.M. Zarook, representative of Jamiathul Ulama Council and Rizana's parents, who were allowed to see their daughter in prison.

The visit was undertaken on the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama. The delegation led by the Deputy Minister met the Acting Governor of Dawadmi (where the incident took place and whose Sharia Court delivered he verdict), Chief of Police of Dawadmi, Chief of Investigation Unit of Dawadmi Police, and the Area Chief of the Othaibi clan and discussed with them on the current status of the case.

The Ministry said the Dawadmi Acting Governor and the Tribal Leader of Othaibi clan have assured that they will talk to the members of their clan and the family members of the infant's father Naif Jhisyan Al Otaibi and convince them to grant pardon, once the formal clearance is granted by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, for their involvement.

The Deputy Minister had a meeting with the Saudi Lawyer, Mr. Al Shammeri who has been retained by the Embassy to appear on behalf of Rizana in her appeal case. The lawyers have confirmed that they are confident of securing her release on legal grounds as well.

He also met the Vice Minister for Consular Affairs of the Saudi Foreign Ministry Mohammed Abdul Rahman Salloum and handed over the formal request from the Government of Sri Lanka to the Saudi Government and a personal letter addressed to Prince Saud Al Faizal, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia from Foreign Minister Bogollagama, requesting a pardon for Rizana and for their intervention in seeking a pardon from the parents of the deceased infant.

A personal request was made by Deputy Minister Hussein A. Bhaila to the Governor of Riyadh, Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz, who has already accepted the invitation extended by Minister Bogollagama to visit Sri Lanka, to seek his intervention, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.

The Foreign Ministry has been working closely with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh and the Saudi Embassy in Colombo and through the Government and private channels to seek pardon for Rizana while challenging it legally in the Court of Appeal under Saudi laws.

The Deputy Minister briefed Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on the current status of the case and the Minister directed the Ministry to continue the efforts through Government channels, while following legal process and to take every step that would help secure Rizana's release.

Rizana was only 17 when the alleged incident happened on May 22, 2005.