Agus Triyono & Camelia Pasandaran – The Indonesian government has been accused of "lying" about what it knew before Indonesian migrant worker Ruyati binti Satubi was beheaded by authorities in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects the allegations.
Alai Nadjib, a member of the Civil Society Alliance for Migrant Worker Advocacy and Protection, alleged that Indonesian authorities must have been aware of the plans to execute Ruyati, a maid convicted of murdering her employer. The government has previously claimed that it was not officially told that Ruyati would be beheaded.
The outcry in Indonesia over the execution strained relations between both nations and helped lead to Indonesia imposing a boycott on sending Indonesian migrant workers (TKI) to the gulf nation.
Alai said that a week before the beheading, the Saudi government had made a series of announcements in the media regarding the execution, including Ruyati's identity, gender and details of her crime.
He said both the Indonesian Embassy and consulate general "intentionally ignored the case". "They allowed Ruyati to be beheaded."
Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Michael Tene rejected the allegations, saying the embassy or consulate general were never officially notified, as required by international convention.
Alai also alleged the government lied about sending a letter of apology to Ruyati's family and the location of the maid's grave.