Comments on: Vienna Convention and Sri Lankan Child Worker on Death Row https://groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row Journalism for Citizens Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:57:25 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.1 By: Groundviews https://groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-10024 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:57:25 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-10024 From http://www.arabnews.com/services/print/print.asp?artid=127524&d=19&m=10&y=2009&hl=I%20confessed%20under%20duress:%20Lankan%20maid

I confessed under duress: Lankan maid
Mohammad Rasooldeen I Arab News —

RIYADH: Rizana Nafeek, the Sri Lankan maid, who has been in jail for the past four years for allegedly killing a Saudi infant in 2005, told a court on Sunday that her first confession was made under duress and as a result of a physical assault.

Nafeek made this statement before a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Abdullah Al-Rosaimi at a court in Dawadmi. Her statement in court was translated by Abdul Kareem, an Indian electrician who acted as her interpreter on Sunday.

Nafeek told the court that she was assaulted and was forced to confess since she feared for her life. Khateb Al-Shammary, Nafeek’s lawyer, said that the bench would forward the results of its deliberations to the high court in Riyadh which would in turn decide the next course of action.

For Sunday’s hearing, the police investigating officer, the local religious police and Nafeek were summoned for questioning. The father of the deceased infant, Naif Jiziyan Khalaf Al-Otaibi, who has regularly appeared, was not summoned to court on Sunday. Having recorded Nafeek’s statement, the judge also took a statement from police investigating officer who was present in court.

On recording the statement from the police officer, the judge ordered the police to produce two witnesses to vouch at the next hearing for the honesty and integrity of the officer.

Sarath Kumara, first secretary of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh, and Abdul Lateef Mohammed Jabir, mission’s coordinator were present at the court to look after the interests of the accused.

]]> By: ICT4Peace in 2007: Significant work, applied research and challenges « ICT for Peacebuilding (ICT4Peace) https://groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1853 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:01:53 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1853 […] Over the course of the year, Groundviews took on the malpractices of traditional media, web censorship, compelling perspectives of life in the midst of conflict, legal and political analyses, articles that critically analysed disaster response mechanisms and frameworks, issues such as the case of Rizana in Saudi Arabia that were largely ignored, at the time, in traditional media and on a number of occasions had to deal with the challenges posed by trolls and other miscreants. […]

]]> By: Melvin Ally https://groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1852 Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:08:48 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1852 The response from the Saudi authorities is a good indication of how low our Foreign Service is viewed by the rest of the world. I mean forget about negotiating, they did not even give an appointment! ‘Disgraceful’ is the only word that can sum up this debacle (‘pathetic’ comes a close second..)

]]> By: groundviews https://groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1851 Mon, 30 Jul 2007 02:04:42 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1851 “The fate of the teenage housemaid, Rizma Nafeek — sentenced by a Saudi court to be beheaded on charges of killing a four-month-old baby who was in her care — seems to be sealed after the failure of the mission led by Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila to save her life. Media reports state Bhaila could not get an appointment with the key officials who could have given them some hope.”

From http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/6736

]]> By: Nishan https://groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1850 Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:41:48 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1850 Two years ago, in the previous campaign over Sri Lankan workers on death row in Saudi Arabia, journalists queried the government about acceding to the said Vienna convention. See for example:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2005/04/050410_saudi_death_row.shtml

This seems to have had SOME effect. Even if slowly and only partially (one year and one month later, and without the vital aspect of acceding to also to the optional protocol) the government DID act — it acceded to the said convention on May 2006.

Perhaps this time around too, IF journalists query, this will result in eventual action in the right direction.

]]> By: groundviews https://groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1849 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:40:46 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/07/21/vienna-convention-and-sri-lankan-child-worker-on-death-row/#comment-1849 Published in the Daily Mirror of 23rd July 2007 – http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/07/23/opinion/02.asp

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