There Are Positive Indications Of The Deadline For Payment Of Indonesian Citizens Who Are Threatened With The Death Penalty In Saudi Arabia

Director of PWNI of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha. (VOI/AFI)

JAKARTA - There are positive indications, although not yet official, regarding the deadline for payment of the diyat in the case of Indonesian citizens (WNI) who work in Saudi Arabia and face the death penalty, said Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha.

That was said by Judha, following the deadline for payment of the favor, the fine requested by Indonesian migrant workers Susanti, on April 9. Susanti faces the death penalty in a murder case.

"From the communication carried out, there are indications, we have not officially conveyed, only informal indications, there are indications (the extension) of the deadline will be given," explained Judha Nugraha on the sidelines of the launch of the AI SARI chatbot in Jakarta, Monday, April 21.

"The Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh has communicated again with the families of the victims and the forgiveness and reconciliation institutions, there are positive indications, later there will be an extension of the deadline," said Judha.

Judha emphasized that April 9 is the deadline for collecting the death penalty, not the date for the execution of the death penalty.

"So that there is no misunderstanding," said Judha.

As previously reported, Susanti left for Saudi Arabia as a migrant worker to become a household assistant in Riyadh in 2008. In 2009, the child of her employer where she worked died, Susanti was accused of being the perpetrator. He was also sentenced to qisas.

Judha explained that the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh himself had provided assistance to Susanti from the start. Various legal processes have been carried out, from various assistances, the qisas verdict has been handed down and then has permanent legal force.

"When the inkracht status is complete, it means that the litigation process is complete, in the system in effect in Saudi Arabia, the door to forgiveness or Tanazul is opened," explained Judha.

He said this was a civil process between the victim's family and the perpetrator's family. In the process, through assistance and facilitation of the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, on behalf of Susanti and her family.

"We have communicated with the victim's family, then the door for forgiveness was opened, but using a diyat. The number presented by the victim's family amounted to 30 million riyals or around Rp. 120 billion," he said.

He added, of the various efforts made, there have been several times the process of extending the deadline for collecting the diyat numbers. Finally, the deadline is April 9.

"The date 9 is not the date of execution. So that there is no misunderstanding, on the 9th it is the deadline for gathering the diyat," he said.