“As If I Am Not Human” - Human Rights Watch

etter that you go back to your country.’” The police then transferred Chemmani R. to
the deportation center with no opportunity to pursue her case. 301
Many of the officials from foreign missions of labor-sending countries who support
workers with criminal cases complained about the lack of systems and competence
among the Saudi police. For example, if a police officer gets transferred, “They leave
no file of the case. The new officer tells you to call the previous police officer.” 302
These officials also cited the need for a special desk in each police station to handle
sexual violence cases.
Flawed investigations and protracted criminal proceedings
I haven’t seen any rape case [that] has prospered to the point of
conviction. Most cases are never able to be prosecuted.
—Embassy official B, who monitored all criminal cases for a laborsending
country for the past few years, Riyadh, March 8, 2008
In most cases we are settling for financial settlements. The domestic
workers cannot withstand the rigors of trial, the long waiting periods, it
takes nine months, a year. The court process is very slow.
—Consular official E from a labor-sending country, Jeddah, December 9,
2006
Inadequate investigation and collection of evidence in cases where employers or an
agent has abused a domestic worker adversely affects the strength of their case.
Human Rights Watch learned of cases where Saudi authorities refused to mandate
paternity tests for Saudi men and boys accused of raping domestic workers who bore
children as a result. A domestic worker raped by her employer and five months
pregnant attempted to file a complaint with the police, but “they refused to register
the case and forwarded her to the [MOSA] shelter. [To gain admission] they didn’t
write that she was pregnant.” 303
301 Ibid.
302 Human Rights Watch interview with embassy official B from a labor-sending country, Riyadh, December 3, 2006.
303 Human Rights Watch interview with embassy official J from a labor-sending country, Riyadh, March 10, 2008.
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