(AseanAll) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (MoFA RI) and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Jeddah (KJRI Jeddah) have successfully repatriated an Indonesian citizen, identified by the initials HMM, from the threat of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia. 

HMM was deported back to Indonesia on November 28, 2024, and returned to her hometown in Bangkalan, East Java, on November 30, 2024, with assistance from MoFA RI, the Bangkalan Industry and Manpower Office (Dinas Perindustrian dan Ketenagakerjaan Kabupaten Bangkalan), and the Pamekasan Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Service Post (Pos Pelayanan Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kabupaten Pamekasan).

The case began when HMM was detained by the Saudi Arabian Royal Police and sentenced to death (had ghilah) by the Public Prosecutor in 2009 for the murder of her Saudi Arabian husband. MoFA RI and the Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah undertook a series of efforts to resolve the case through diplomatic, litigation, and non-litigation means.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah provided legal assistance during the investigation process (6 times) and the trial process (13 times). Throughout the legal proceedings, HMM was accompanied by a legal advisor and translator appointed by the Indonesian Consulate General. In addition, the Consulate General pursued an appeal to the High Court in Jeddah and filed a cassation request with the Supreme Court in Riyadh.

Further efforts by the Consulate General included regular visits to HMM in Briman Prison and Dzahban Prison in Jeddah. The Consulate also engaged with the victim's heirs, both directly and through the local Forgiveness and Reconciliation Institute, and approached the Governor's Office of Mecca to request mediation with the victim's heirs.

These efforts ultimately resulted in the reduction of the legal penalty to imprisonment and the payment of diyat. HMM has completed her 15-year prison sentence and fulfilled the diyat requirement of SAR 400,000, which was paid in full by a Saudi Arabian philanthropist.

Throughout 2024, MoFA RI has secured the release of 26 Indonesian citizens previously facing the death penalty. However, the number of Indonesians involved in death penalty cases has increased by 20. Currently, the Indonesian Government is handling 155 death penalty cases, the majority of which are in Malaysia.

MoFA RI urges all Indonesian citizens abroad to comply with local government regulations and to avoid any criminal or civil offenses, whether intentional or accidental.