Khamis Girl Pardoned

Khamis Girl Pardoned
Friday, 13 April 2007
The Saudi Gazette

KHAMIS MUSHAYT
The eight-year saga of a woman who had been jailed for murder in Khamis Mushayt came to a happy ending on Thursday when the family of the victim agreed to spare her life after vigorous mediation efforts.

Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz and Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, the Emir of Asir Region, were at the forefront of the mediators to talk the victim’s family into sparing the life of the woman, known as Samira.

Hussein Bin Said Bin Mushait, the chief of the Shahrani tribe, called the elders of the tribes dwelling in the southern region to his home early on Thursday morning, as is the norm in tribal common law, and embarked on helping the family of the victim and that of Samira’s.
The victim’s family agreed to spare her life on the condition that 50 of her family would swear that they had not been involved in her crime, among other things, as a precondition to sign the document of final concession.

However, the family of the victim later decided to go one better: They spared Samira’s tribe the burden to take the oath, but said that only the immediate families of Samira and her husband should swear that they never participated in the murder or knew about it at the time.

Early birds
The tribal delegations began to flock to Bin Mushait’s house early on Thursday morning, coming from all over the southern region. First to arriver were the elders and dignitaries of the tribes. They were later shown in the so-called “round table of right,” a tribal tradition used to discuss and settle all kinds of disputes.

Said Bin Ahmed Al-Shahrani, director of the Scientific Institute in Khamis Mushait, started with a brief speech in which he asked Samira’s family for forgiveness and tolerance.

Then, Bin Mushait responded with his own speech.

“All hopes and aspirations are aimed at forgiveness for the daughter of the Murait family,” he said. “The dignitaries and elders of the (Asir) region have made their utmost efforts to bring about a pardon for her, and it was meant to happen on the hands of a man of honor and generosity – Crown Prince Sultan. His efforts were not in vain with the follow-up of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.”

Dhafer Bin Khulais, a member of the victim’s tribe, responded with a speech on behalf of his tribe, in which he announced the tribe’s pardon to Samira.

“We are honored and grateful to God today for his blessing, as we are happy to announce to you that we have pardoned the killer (Samira) of our late brother, Khaled Bin Mohammed Al Khulais.”

He then heaped praise on Crown Prince Sultan for his efforts to bring the two families together.

“You are a man of honor and a glorious pedigree, a prince of hearts in times of plight, and we shall not forget your effort. You have helped us find forgiveness and closure in our hearts.”

He said that the tribe had many reasons before to refuse granting pardon to Samira, mainly fear that this will cause sedition.

In their own speeches, a number of tribal dignitaries thanked Samira’s family for their generous gesture and Crown Prince Sultan and Prince Khaled Al-Faisal for their efforts to bring about closure to what had been a lengthy and protracted case.

Sleepless Samira
In cell block 3 of the prison, Samira had been too nervous to get any sleep for the two days prior to the fateful – and fruitful – tribal meeting on Thursday.

A psychologist was called in from Abha Hospital on Wednesday night to keep her company and comfort her with some medication.

Samira, dubbed the Khamis Girl, had been behind bars in the Abha Jail for more than eight years after she had been convicted of the murder of Khaled Al Khulais when she was in her late teens.

Samira has a high school education, is married, and has nine brothers and two sisters.

Even though there had been a lot of speculation about her motives, evidence seemed to back up her story that she killed the victim in defense of her honor.

Samira confessed in an official affidavit that she had killed Al Khulais and dumped his corpse in a garbage container, after cutting the body to pieces and wrapping it in a blanket.

She told investigators that the victim had been stalking her even after she got married, and when she got fed up with his advances, she lured him and murdered him after he refused to back off in response to her pleas.

The victim’s family said they would not bury the body until she was executed. They claimed that Samira could not have acted alone, but used the aid of accomplices from her own family, something which she and her family vehemently denied.

Controversy
Samira’s story has generated substantial controversy in the Kingdom and abroad. She had been sentenced to death after having been convicted of the murder of Khaled Al Khulais. Many Western commentators were critical of the ruling, and some human rights groups called it a violation of human rights.

Even a Web site was dedicated to her, with more than 4,500 members calling for her pardon, which added to the considerable sympathy among Saudis towards her. Site moderators say that the site has received more than a million hits from 75 countries, and 61 international law groups were involved in the site.

Amid the controversy, some people involved in the legal system in the Kingdom called for a written criminal law, basing their opinions on the vagueness with which the western media handled Samira’s case and the misinformed opinions generated there.

Some judiciary groups said they went to great lengths to shed light on the human element in the case.

“We’ve gone out of our way to talk the victim’s family into foregoing their right, but they refused,” said Thurayya Al-Shaikh, a member of the Saudi National Society for Human Rights. “Dignitaries have also failed, and now, I don’t think anyone can stop the court’s decision unless the victim’s family agrees.”