JAKARTA - An Indonesian woman, identified as HMM, who was arrested in 2009 for the murder of her Saudi husband and sentenced to death under Saudi Arabia’s hadd al-ghilah law has been deported and reunited with her family in Indonesia.
Indonesia's Foreign Ministry which facilitated the woman's release said that after years of diplomatic efforts led by the ministry and the Consulate General in Jeddah, HMM’s sentence was reduced, and she paid 400,000 Saudi Riyal in diya (blood money), which was fully covered by a Saudi philanthropist.
The case was appealed in both the Jeddah High Court and the Supreme Court in Riyadh, resulting in a reduced sentence and a negotiated diya payment. After completing her 15-year prison sentence, HMM has returned to her family in Indonesia.
"HMM was deported to Indonesia on November 28 and returned to her hometown of Bangkalan, East Java, two days later,” the ministry said in a statement Monday.
The ministry said the Consulate General in Jeddah provided crucial support, including regular prison visits, legal assistance, and efforts to mediate with the victim’s family.
"The Consulate General in Jeddah provided assistance to HMM during the investigation process on six occasions and throughout 13 court hearings,” it added.
This year alone, the ministry said it has helped free 26 Indonesians from death row abroad, yet the number of citizens facing similar fates has increased to 155, with the majority of cases concentrated in Malaysia.
"Indonesians must always comply with local laws and avoid engaging in criminal activities, whether intentional or accidental,” the ministry said. - BERNAMA