Rizana likely to receive pardon - Saudi Envoy

Rizana Nafeek, the Sri Lankan worker who is in death row in Saudi Arabia is likely to receive a pardon and return to Sri Lanka soon according to information received by him, said Saudi Arabian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Abdulazeez. Al Jammaz, when he met Justice Minister and SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem at his Ministry for discussions on Thursday.

The Saudi Arabian Ambassador said Rizana may be granted a pardon in response to a request made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and considering other legal factors.

A communique issued by the Ministry of Justice said the Saudi Ambassador disclosed this when Minister Rauf Hakeem asked whether there was a possibility of granting Rizana a pardon by considering President Rajapaksa's appeal and other legal factors.

The Saudi Ambassador said President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Sri Lanka Government had made a great effort to get Rizana freed and the information he had received was that she may receive a pardon soon. The Saudi Ambassador who said that he is taking a personal interest in this matter and the Governor of Riyadh Salman acting on the instructions of the Saudi King had already commenced discussions with the relatives of the child who died at the hands of Rizana regarding the granting of freedom for her. Although Rizana had been sent abroad as a housemaid she had been diverted for baby sitting and showing this factor with relevant documents would be helpful for obtaining her release. The Saudi Ambassador also said that he had also added a special note to the official request made by President Rajapaksa seeking Rizanas release.

The Justice Ministry communique also said that the Minister and Saudi Ambassador exchanged views on the exchange of prisoners between the two countries. The Saudi Ambassador who appreciated the efforts made in this regard by Minister Hakeem added that this issued had been discussed earlier too between former Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and the then Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz. Sri Lanka's former councellor in Jeddah M Inamulla also participated in the discussions.