Government Urged To Act Firmly Against Saudi Arabia

JAKARTA, March 20 (Antara) - Migrant Care Executive Director Wahyu Susilo has urged the Indonesian government to take stern measures against Saudi Arabia for carrying out the execution of an Indonesian migrant worker for murder. "The Indonesian government should issue a protest note over the execution of Zaini Misrin, an Indonesian migrant worker from Bangkalan, Madura, East Java, in Saudi Arabia," Wahyu Susilo, stated here on Sunday. Susilo remarked that Misrin was executed on Sunday (March 18). He stated that Saudi Arabia did not notify Indonesia about the execution either through the consulate general in Jeddah or the foreign ministry. "Saudi Arabia has violated the principles of international law by failing to notify Indonesia about the execution," Susilo revealed. Migrant Care also urges Indonesia to use political and diplomatic resources to release Indonesian migrant workers who are on death row. Currently, 21 Indonesians are on death row in Saudi Arabia. The Foreign Ministry had earlier confirmed the execution of Misrin in Saudi Arabia. "That is right," Director of Protection of Indonesian Citizens and Legal Entities of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, stated in connection with the execution of Misrin through a short message here on Monday. The Indonesian Foreign Ministry will hold a press briefing on Monday afternoon regarding Misrin's case and the handling of cases of Indonesian citizens or migrant workers who are threatened with death sentence abroad. According to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, the Saudi Arabian authorities have not informed about the execution or submitted the "mandatory consular notification" to Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) concerning Indonesian migrant issues. "Yes, we have informed our NGO friends about this," he noted.