Aug 30, Colombo: A women organization in Sri Lanka submitted a petition with 100,000 signatures to the Saudi Embassy in Colombo asking for a royal pardon for the teenage Sri Lankan housemaid Rizana Nafeek who is on death row in Saudi Arabia.

Following a massive march to the Embassy by a large number of people the petition was handed over to the Saudi Ambassador Muhammad Mahmud Al-Ali inside the mission premises by a delegation from the women’s organization “Lakmawa Diyaniyo”.

After accepting the petition, the Saudi Ambassador told the marchers that it will be sent to the concerned authorities through the Foreign Ministry in Riyadh.

Rizana was sentenced to death on June 16 for allegedly murdering a four month old baby while under her care. Her sentence is currently being contested in appeal court in the Kingdom, with financial assistance from Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).