Indonesia pays $2 mn in ‘blood money’ to free maid in Saudi Arabia

Migrants' rights activists in Indonesia welcomed on Friday the government’s decision to pay $1.8 million to free one of its citizens on death row in Saudi Arabia, just days before she was to be executed for murdering her employer.

Migrants' rights activists in Indonesia welcomed on Friday the government’s decision to pay $1.8 million to free one of its citizens on death row in Saudi Arabia, just days before she was to be executed for murdering her employer.

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Satinah, a 41-year old migrant domestic worker, was convicted of killing her Saudi employer in 2007 but said she had acted in self-defence after her boss allegedly physically abused her. She was sentenced to death by beheading.

"The government can no longer ignore the fact that saving a citizen is the country’s responsibility," said Anis Hidayah, executive director of NGO Migrant Care, according to media reports. The government, which announced its decision on a website on Thursday, had come under fire over Satinah’s case after initially saying it could not raise the money in time.

Celebrities and activists spearheaded a fundraising campaign. As allowed by Saudi law, the victim’s family had initially demanded $4 million in “blood money” to spare the maid’s life, but agreed to lower the amount after years of negotiations with the Indonesian government.