20 Indonesians on Saudi Death Row, 5 Charged with Witchcraft

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Foreign Ministry's civil protection director, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, revealed that there are at least 20 Indonesians that face the death penalty in Saudi Arabia for various allegations.

Reports state that 15 of them are accused of murder charges while the other five are charged with sorcery accusations under Saudi Arabia’s witchcraft law.

“[The witchcraft law] does not exist in our Constitution, but suspects of this type of case have a chance to be pardoned by the King. We have accompanied the Indonesians accused of murder charges since the beginning and we have acquired all of their records,” said Muhammad Iqbal on Wednesday, March 21.

Read also: Zaini Misrin Execution Sparks Protest at Saudi Arabian Embassy

Furthermore, Iqbal explained that two people that are charged with murder have entered their legal proceeding’s critical phase. It involves two Indonesian citizens Tuty Tursilawati and Eti binti Toyib, both who were indicted in 2011 before the government’s citizen protection was still weak which presented difficulties for the Indonesian government to provide assistance.

The House of Representatives (DPR) Indonesian workers (TKI) supervisory team leader Fahri Hamzah urges the government to establish a stronger national data system that can thoroughly protect Indonesian workers overseas.

Meanwhile, Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri said that the Indonesian government has conducted several diplomatic and non-diplomatic approaches towards the Saudi Arabian government in an attempt to free the Indonesians that are currently on death row.

ARKHELAUS WISNU TRIYOGO