Indonesia Regrets Beheading of Another Domestic Worker in Saudi Arabia

Jakarta Globe, Natasia Christy, Apr 17, 2015

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi speaking to reporters about the execution of
 Indonesian national Siti Zaenab, in Saudi Arabia earlier this week. (Antara
Photo/Yudhi Mahatma)

Jakarta. The Indonesian government has expressed regret at Saudi Arabia’s decision to execute another Indonesian domestic worker on death row in the kingdom, on Thursday.

“We have done our best to ensure the judicial process was correct and that she received her rights but the victim’s family could not forgive what she did,” Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said on Friday.

Karni Binti Medi Tarsim’s execution came only two days after the execution of another Indonesian migrant worker, Siti Zaenab, who was sentenced to death in 2001 after the 1999 murder of her employer.

Retno said the Indonesian government had done its best to request clemency for Karni, as it earlier said it did for Siti Zaenab.

Representatives of the Indonesian consulate in Jeddah met with Karni 33 times since September 2012.

Both former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Joko Widodo had previously sent letters of appeal for both cases, leading to the postponement of the execution.

The head of the Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI), Nusron Wahid, has traveled to Central Java to meet with Karni’s family.

Nusron told reporters he was angry that Saudi Arabia had not informed the Indonesian government prior to the execution, which according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry also did not happen ahead of Siti Zaenab’s execution.

The Indonesian itself is facing international pressure due to Joko’s decision to resume executions of convicted drug traffickers. Indonesian activists have also criticized the resumption of executions, saying the policy has undermined Indonesia’s ability to advocate for its own citizens on death row abroad.

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