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In a letter to the UN High Commissioner and the President of Sri Lanka, the [[Asian Human Rights Commission]] said that Nafeek's execution was "nothing less than murder".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=21283 |title=AHRC brands execution of Rizana as murder; urges President to investigate |publisher=Adaderana.lk |date= |accessdate=2013-01-15}}</ref>
In a letter to the UN High Commissioner and the President of Sri Lanka, the [[Asian Human Rights Commission]] said that Nafeek's execution was "nothing less than murder".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=21283 |title=AHRC brands execution of Rizana as murder; urges President to investigate |publisher=Adaderana.lk |date= |accessdate=2013-01-15}}</ref>

'''France'''

France condemned the execution of Rizana and released statement, "France condemns the beheading on January 9 in Saudi Arabia of Rizana Nafeek, a young Sri Lankan citizen, who was a minor when the crime occurred. France is campaigning for the universal abolition of the death penalty and is taking many initiatives in this area.<ref name="FD1">{{cite web|url=http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/saudi-arabia/events-3362/article/saudi-arabia-execution-of-rizana |title=Saudi Arabia – Execution of Rizana Nafeek (January 9, 2013) |publisher=France Diplomatie |date= |accessdate=2013-01-17}}</ref>
As Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed, France expresses its firm and constant opposition to the death penalty everywhere and under all circumstances. It urges Saudi Arabia to put an end to the executions and to establish a moratorium.<ref name="FD1"></ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==

Revision as of 05:15, 17 January 2013

Rizana Nafeek
Nafeek as she appears in her passport
Born
Rizana Nafeek

(1988-02-04)4 February 1988
Muttur, Sri Lanka
Died9 January 2013(2013-01-09) (aged 24)
Dawadmi Riyadh,Saudi Arabia
Cause of deathCapital punishment
Executed by beheading at 11.40 am (AST) on 9 January 2013
NationalitySri Lankan
Alma materImam Shafi Vidyalaya Muttur [1]
OccupationHouse maid

Rizana Nafeek (Sinhala: රිසානා නෆීක්; 4 February 1988 – 9 January 2013) was a Sri Lankan woman convicted and subsequently executed in Saudi Arabia for the murder of four-month-old Naif al-Quthaibi. It is alleged by her parents that in order to get work in Saudi Arabia the date of birth was altered on Nafeek's passport when in reality she was under 18 when the offence took place, meaning her execution was contrary to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The initial confession made by Nafeek was claimed by her to have been made under duress and without linguistic assistance.[2]

Employment in Saudi Arabia

Nafeek was 17 years old when she arrived to work in Saudi Arabia on 4 May 2005. It is alleged by her parents that her passport was forged to adjust the year of birth to 1982,[3] to avoid rules stopping those under the age of 18 being recruited in Sri Lanka for work abroad. She began work as a domestic helper in Dawadamissa, about 400 kilometres from Riyadh.

Infant's death

On 22 May 2005, her employer's four-month-old child Naif al-Quthaibi died while in Nafeek's care. Nafeek was accused of murdering the child by smothering him following an argument with his mother.[4] Nafeek claimed that she believed the baby had choked on a bottle by accident during feeding.[5][6][7][8] The baby's parents and Saudi police insisted that Nafeek was guilty of murder.[9]

Death sentence

Nafeek was imprisoned and sentenced to death on 16 June 2007. The President of Sri Lanka twice personally requested a pardon for Nafeek from the King of Saudi Arabia. Human rights activists held many demonstrations calling for her release.[10] In October 2010, according to a senior official of Sri Lanka's External Affairs Ministry, Charles, Prince of Wales, appealed to the Saudi King, seeking clemency for Nafeek.[11] The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission appealed to Queen Elizabeth II to intervene and plead for clemency for Nafeek on Her Majesty's diamond jubilee.[12]

Execution

Nafeek was executed by beheading on 9 January 2013, despite an appeal from the government of Sri Lanka.[13][14][15][16][17]

Reactions

Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan Parliament observed a moment of silence soon after it received the news of the execution.[18] UNP, the main opposition party of Sri Lanka, held a special media briefing hours after the execution. In that media briefing the opposition MP Ranjan Ramanayake described the Saudi government as "dictators" and emphasized that the Saudi government never executes citizens of rich European or North American countries but only the citizens from poor Asian and African countries.[13]

The United Nations

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, United Nations independent experts and the world body’s human rights office voiced their dismay over the execution of Nafeek. Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in Geneva, "We are deeply troubled by reports of irregularities in her detention and trial, including that no lawyer was present to assist her in key stages of her interrogation and trial, that language interpretation was poor, and Ms. Nafeek’s contention that she was physically assaulted and forced to sign a confession under duress". The Special Rapporteur on torture, Juan Méndez, noted that during the appeal of the case, the defence submitted that Nafeek was beaten and made to sign a confession under duress. "Her execution is clearly contrary to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention against Torture," he said.[19]

The European Union

The European Union expressed dismay that Saudi Arabia had beheaded Nafeek despite repeated appeals for a stay of execution.[20]

Asian Human Rights Commission

In a letter to the UN High Commissioner and the President of Sri Lanka, the Asian Human Rights Commission said that Nafeek's execution was "nothing less than murder".[21]

France

France condemned the execution of Rizana and released statement, "France condemns the beheading on January 9 in Saudi Arabia of Rizana Nafeek, a young Sri Lankan citizen, who was a minor when the crime occurred. France is campaigning for the universal abolition of the death penalty and is taking many initiatives in this area.[22] As Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed, France expresses its firm and constant opposition to the death penalty everywhere and under all circumstances. It urges Saudi Arabia to put an end to the executions and to establish a moratorium.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ Haviland, Charles (18 November 2010). "Desperate wait of condemned Sri Lanka maid's family". BBC News South Asia. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  2. ^ "Sri Lankan maid Rizana Nafeek beheaded in Saudi Arabia". BBC News Asia. 09 January 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Saudi Arabia: Beheading causes outrage". nzherald.co.nz. 11 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  4. ^ McElroy, Damien (9 January 2013). "Saudi Arabia defies international protests with beheading of Sri Lankan maid". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  5. ^ "SAUDI ARABIA/SRI LANKA: WORLD/SRI LANKA: An appeal for continuous intervention with the Saudi Arabian authorities on Rizana Nafeek's case". Asian Human Rights Commission. 11 December 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  6. ^ "SAUDI ARABIA/SRI LANKA: Prayers being offered by Muslims in Sri Lanka for Rizana Nafeek, a young innocent Sri Lankan girl facing the death sentence in Saudi Arabia -- a reissue of the appeal to the Muslim world for compassionate intervention". Asian Human Rights Commission. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Continuous intervention needed for Rizana Nafeek". Ethics in Action. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  8. ^ Farook, Latheef (11 January 2013). "Sheer Saudi barbarism". Ceylon Today. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  9. ^ "Take Action Now". Amnesty USA. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  10. ^ "Halt execution of Rizana Nafeek". Adaderana. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  11. ^ "Prince Charles pleads for Rizana". Sunday Times. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  12. ^ "For Diamond Jubilee, save Rizana Nafeek's life". Arilanka Mirror. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  13. ^ a b "Sri Lankan maid Rizana Nafeek beheaded in Saudi Arabia". BBC. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  14. ^ Senanayake, Gandhya (9 January 2013). "Rizana Nafeek executed". Ceylon Today. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  15. ^ "Rizana Nafeek Executed". Adederana. 9 Janaury 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "Rizana Nafeek executed". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 9 January 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  17. ^ Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2259967/Saudi-Arabia-beheads-maid-Rizana-Nafeek-murdering-baby.html?ito=feeds-newsxml. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ^ "Government deplores the execution". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 9 Janaury 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "UN voices 'deep dismay' over execution of Rizana Nafeek". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)(Source: UN News Centre). 12 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  20. ^ "EU expresses shock over execution". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 10 January 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  21. ^ "AHRC brands execution of Rizana as murder; urges President to investigate". Adaderana.lk. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  22. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia – Execution of Rizana Nafeek (January 9, 2013)". France Diplomatie. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

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