Tortured maid in serious condition after amputation of her limbs

Gulf | Saudi Arabia

An Indonesian housemaid is in serious condition following amputation of both her hands and feet after a month-long torture by her employers, said a member of the Saudi National Society for Human Rights.

• By Mariam Al Hakeem, Correspondent
• Published: 23:04 September 15, 2007
• 

Riyadh: An Indonesian housemaid is in serious condition following amputation of both her hands and feet after a month-long torture by her employers, said a member of the Saudi National Society for Human Rights.
Dr Nora Al Jumaih, member of the monitoring and follow-up committee at the Saudi National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), said in press statements yesterday that she would meet the chairman of the monitoring committee at NSHR to brief him on the case of the Indonesian maid.
She added that a report on the condition of the Indonesian housemaid was prepared and will be handed over to NSHR.
The Indonesian housemaid, whose name was not given, was earlier admitted to the Riyadh Medical Complex, popularly known as Shimaisy Hospital, after being severely beaten for almost one month by her employers, a Saudi man and his wife. The doctors in hospital decided to amputate her hands and feet because of gangrene.
Severely beaten
Dr Nora, who visited the Indonesian housemaid in hospital, noted that she was in poor health.
"It is clear that the woman was severely beaten after being tied up in the [courtyard of the house] under the sun for almost one month and was beaten with iron rods. Her teeth were knocked out and her lips were cut," the NSHR member pointed out.
Dr Nora called for maximum punishment of the employer and his wife.
"Cases of housemaids are the most complicated to deal with as this category does not know of a society that can help them and restore their rights," she said.
"There should be collaboration between hospital officials and the press to make such cases known to the public and therefore the Human Rights Society would know about them," she added. Dr Nora noted that NSHR would follow up the case with the party assigned to question the employer and his wife.