Maid released TO lawyer custody

By Edgar C. Cadano
The Saudi Gazette
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/sgazette/Data/2005/8/28/Art_256358.XML

RIYADH -- Housemaid Nour Miyati was released Saturday to the custody of a Saudi lawyer hired by the Indonesian embassy, embassy officials said here.

Nour Miyati is now under the personal custody of lawyer Nasser Dandani, said Dr. Mohammed Sugiarto. The lawyer, however, refused to give further information when contacted by the Saudi Gazette.Sugiarto said the hearing of the case slapped against Miyati by the Saudi prosecutor would proceed in the local court while she is now free.

The Indonesian embassy has been requesting the Saudi government to release their national under their custody while Miyati has been recuperating from surgery that amputated of her nine fingers and some toes as she was afflicted with gangrene that she allegedly got from a beating.

Beaten black and blue with mouth and eye injuries, Miyati was rolled to Riyadh s Shumaissy hospital in March by her employer, whom and whose wife the Indonesian initially accused of torturing her and tying her up in a bathroom for a month until she developed gangrene.

She has earlier asked her employer to pay the 18-month unpaid salary.Miyati was moved to King Faisal Specialist Hospital after her amputation as ordered by King Abdullah who was Crown Prince at that time.

While at King Faisal Specialist hospital, an investigative report said Miyati changed her previous statements about being tortured and was charged for issuing false allegations against her sponsor.

Miyati was arrested at the hospital and transferred to Al-Nisa Jail for two days and later found out to have been moved to Al-Nahda Philanthropic Society.

Sugiarto said the embassy would continue to extend legal and other assistance to Miyati while her case is being heard.The Indoneisan government has resumed deploying Indoneisan workers last month after Indonesian recruitment agency and the Saudi Arabian National Recruitment Committee of the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce agreed upon some protective measures.

Industry sources said the agreement provides housemaids to be given a weekly day off, a monthly salary of SR600 for newly recruited maids and SR700 for maids recruited for the second time. It also makes it mandatory for the sponsors to bear the domestic help s recruitment fees and air repatriation ticket upon the completion of the contract besides providing her with adequate accommodation and healthy food.

The agreement also allows maids to perform Haj and Umrah besides receiving incoming telephone calls and meeting with embassy s officials if need arises. Another provision states that maids should be treated kindly as per the Islamic and Shariah rules and holds the sponsor accountable for any psychological or physical damage caused to the maid by her employer or any of his dependents.

It also makes it obligatory for the employer to provide medical care for the maid and in case she falls sick and is prescribed rest by the doctor she must get paid full salary. And if she dies, the employer shall fully bear the transportation expenses of the corpse. #