Ruyati Tragedy: Saudi's Envoy Apologizes

VIVAnews – Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Indonesia Abdulrahman Mohammed Amin Al-Khayyat apologized for the decapitation of an Indonesian maid, Ruyati binti Satubi, which took place last Saturday. The ambassador also regretted that the execution was without prior notice to the Indonesian Embassy.

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Michael Tene, today said that the ambassador conveyed the apology to Foreign Ministry's Middle East Director, Ronny Yuliantoro, on Monday, June 20 2011.

Earlier Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa was scheduled to meet with Khayyat. However, at the same time Minister Natalegawa had to attend a hearing session with the members of Commission I at the House of Representatives in Jakarta.

“In the meeting [with the Saudi's ambassador] we conveyed the censure and protest over the process of Ruyati’s execution,” Tene told VIVAnews.

Tene said that Khayyat promised to deliver the protest to his government. During the meeting, Khayyat also conveyed his apology for the case of Ruyati.

“The Saudi Arabian ambassador apologized for and regretted the issue. He promised that such issues will not happen again in the future,” said Tene.

Ruyati was accused of killing her employer and sentenced to death last week. The Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh and Foreign Affairs Ministry told that the Saudi authority did not give them proper notification on the convict's execution. It is a concern that Ruyati’s body, buried in Saudi Arabia, might not be sent to Indonesia.