Rizana Fathima Nafeek had left Sri Lanka when she was 17 in search of employment and a better life for her family back home. She had a forged passport that said she was 6 years older than she was and did not know any Arabic. She was to work as a maid for a wealthy Saudi family. This family later accused her of murder when their 4-month-old infant was accidentally choked when Nafeek was bottle-feeding the baby. She was found guilty and sentenced to death by beheading. The Sri Lanka government and various right groups have campaigned against her beheading.
This is a typical case of thousands of women from poor Asian countries who leave their homes to find a better life for their families back home and better opportunities for themselves. Discrimination plays a big part because it probably would not have resulted in beheading if she was not a poor Sri Lankan woman who came with a forged passport. It is very unfair for her to receive such harsh punishment because of her background or previous crimes. It is not unheard of at all to give pardons for murder cases so hopefully the victim's family will soon come around to pardon her from her harsh punishment.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2099272,00.html
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