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April 24, 2006

Saudi Arabia: Rape Victim Jailed Under Islamic Law

News from Agence France Presse, via Pakistan's Daily Times states today that a 16 year old girl has been deported from Saudi Arabia after enduring a six month jail sentence. Her crime was to have been raped by a Saudi national.

The girl, Isma Mahmood, and her 18 year old sister Muna were both born in Saudi Arabia, after their parents were trafficked there 20 years ago, but both have been deported to Pakistan. Their parents came from Multan in Pakistan.

Isma, who was raped in Medina last year, said: "I was the victim, I was raped and molested but I was named as the accused, and the man who committed the crime was not touched."

"He first kidnapped me, dragged me into his car. At first he asked me to sleep with him and offered good money. When I refused and tried to resist, he warned me of dire consequences and raped me in the car."

According to Isma's account, the man said she would be imprisoned if she contacted the police and said that her parent's Saudi "sponsor", who imported her parents via a Pakisani agent, would also ensure the family was thrown out of Saudi Arabia.

Isma did not wish to reveal the sponsor's name, to protect her family. The sponsor also threatened Irma and her sister Muna. "I and my sister went to the police expecting justice, but after a few hours of filing the report the police changed it."

The Saudi sponsor pressured her parents so they they tried to urge Isma to withdraw the charge. Isma said: "My sister Muna tried to help me out but was also arrested and put in prison only because she spoke for me."

They were imprisoned with other migrant workers from other nations, such as Bangladesh, Nigeria, Indonesia and Pakistan, who were charged with prostitution. In jail, they were kept in shackles and handcuffs.

Isma continued: "When I used to protest against the ill treatment they beat me on my back. We were chained all during this period. The only time jail officials removed the chain was during lunch or when anyone went to the bathroom or at prayer time. Once a jail official offered me help and assured me I would be released if I agreed to sleep with him. There was a Pakistani woman who was over 40 years old and developed AIDS in prison, but she remained in chains before she was deported to Pakistan."

We described the work of the Ansar Burney Trust in November, when detailing how they assisted in relocating former child jockeys from the United Arab Emirates back to Pakistan.

Now, this trust is looking after Isma and Muna. The president of the trust told AFP: "It's pathetic that all this happened with Isma at the hands of a fellow Muslim." The trust states that many poor women from South Asia are invited to Saudi Arabia with promises of work as domestic maids, but are subsequently duped into prostitution.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at April 24, 2006 8:20 PM

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