Islamic Justice for Innocent Muslim family

To:
King Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud
Custodian of Two Holy Mosques,
Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

Dear Your Majesty,

After greeting, I an Indian Muslim woman, mother of a only seriously handicapped child Fahd and two teenage daughters Huda and Safa, all born in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, am finally resorting to filing this online petition to seek justice from your Majesty and the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Your Majesty, since 1993 I have been requesting, appealing, petitioning and seeking the so-called Islamic Justice from all officials of the Saudi government, including the office bearers of the National Saudi Human Rights Organization. But all efforts to get justice has been futile so far. What better example of denial of justice can be observed than from a country that rules in the name of Allah, Prophet Muhammed and Shariah and more the Constitution based on the glorious Holy Qurfan.

Article 43 of the Saudi Constitution states that the Kings Court and that of the Crown Prince shall be open to all citizens and to anyone who has a complaint or a plea against an injustice. Every individual shall have a right to address the public authorities in all matters affecting him. But whom to complaint, when the fence itself eats the fields?

Your Majesty, in brief, my husband had been in the employment of Saudi Research and Marketing Group, for 10 long years. The chairman of the company is your nephew, HRH Prince Dr. Faisal Ibn Salman Ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is one of the sons of your brother HRH Prince Salman Ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Governor of Riyadh Province.

My husband, had honestly, sincerely and loyally served the organization, without a single blot in his service records. But in 1993, a poison letter was received by the former publishers Hisham and Muhammed Ali Hafiz of Saudi Research and Publishing Company against a former editor of Arab News, who was a favorite of the publishers. The letter against the favorite did not go well with the publishers and they in fit of anger decided to take action against the sender of the hate mail.

The needle of suspicion was pointed towards the Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, Mr. Khaled Al Maeena, but to target him directly without any concrete evidence was difficult for the Hafiz brothers and also because it was not easy to nail down a Saudi Citizen. In order to reach their objective, the advisors of the former publishers, cornered my husband, a direct subordinate of Mr. Khaled Al Maeena, and wanted to extract a written confession stating that it was Mr. Al Maeena who was instrumental in sending the poison letters.
My husband put his foot down and refused to do the bidding as asked by the advisors of the publishers, stating that he had no role in the issue and that the matter could well be taken up directly with the suspected person. The person engaged to do all the dirty works was Osama Sadek, the administration manager and a relative of the Hafiz brothers.

All hell was loose then. My husband was sacked; telephone line disconnected, salaries and family mails were held back. All these to coerce and brow beat my husband to just give a written confession against Mr. Khaled Al Maeena, so that the Hafiz brothers would have reason to put up a strong case against Mr. Al Maeena. My husband and I were prepared to be subjected to any situation, rather than succumb to the demands of Hafiz brothers and their minions.

Mr. Khaled Al Maeena, who was then in London, met the Hafiz brothers in person, and pleaded on our behalf requesting that an innocent family, should not be troubled. Mr. Al Maeena also wrote several letters to the Hafiz brothers vouching for our innocence. He even gave a written guarantee to settle any payments that may be due. Mr. Al Maeena did all that he could do, but still, there was no let off in the situation.

My family faced all humiliation, harassment, cruelty, agony, persecution, physical and mental torture from June to August 1993, for no apparent reasons. Everyone, right from the Managing Director Muhammed Shibani, Director General Ahmad Mahmoud, Deputy Director General Hisham Zahid, to all the Editors-in-Chief of group publications, even to the lowest security guards, sympathized with us, and tried to help, but the Hafiz brothers and their minions were in no way in a mood to have any mercy. Everyone were stunned and helpless.

We were put on trial without any evidence of any guilt. One is innocent until proved guilty. Osama Sadek did not even desist from deploying bouncer like Sharif Al Ghamdi to mishandle my husband in the office premises. When called by Osama, I accompanied my husband. The guards were instructed to keep me and my children outside the building gates. In scorching heat, we were told to stand outside. When my daughters feeling the thirst were crying for water, my request to get water for the kids including my three months old seriously ill child Fahd was denied. What a cruelty, your Majesty. This reminds us of the role of Yazid at Karbala. The situation than, would have even melted the mountains, but for the oppressors it made no impact.

My husband had personal good relations with the late HRH Prince Ahmad Ibn Salman, the then Chairman of the company. The Hafiz brothers tactfully with their contacts in the Chairmanfs office ensured that we do not get access to the late HRH Prince Ahmed, as this would spoil and expose their game plans.
Our efforts to get to the Labor Court, too was tactfully foiled by the oppressors. Osama by threats took the signature of my husband on the dues papers, and denied our dues.
Further example of cruelty can be gauged by the facts, that my only son Fahd, who was fighting and is still fighting for his life and death, was prevented from undergoing life saving treatment, even though Dr. Narmer Azzam of the Dr. Erfan Hospital had requested Osama Sadek and the Hafiz brothers that some grace days in our deportation should be given, as it was necessary for Fahd to undergo a major brain operation to save his life, and the treatment which could not be available in India. Dr. Azzamf,s request was also turned down.

Your Majesty, my son Fahd, is a seriously handicapped child, who has a VP shunt from his head down to his abdomen. This poor child a victim of all cruelties has no control over his urine and stools, is parapagelic from waist downwards. Even this child was not spared, and if he is alive today, it is due to the mercy of God.

Your Majesty, such acts as practiced and for whom I had been asking justice, is definitely against the spirit of Islam, humanity, the holy Qurfan and the Kingdomfs Constitution. In the long fight for justice and rightful compensation, nothing has moved so far. One of the perpetrators of the crime, Hisham Ali Hafiz, who never lost an opportunity to abuse the Kingdom, is dead, while others thrive.

Islamic justice would only prevail if the perpetrators of the heinous barbaric crime against humanity are brought to book and punished, and our rightful dues are paid and we are compensated for all the terror that was unleashed against an innocent family. There are several Saudi people of the organization who can vouch for all the crime that was committed to us, including Mr. Khaled Al Maeena.

Your Majesty, an through investigation is required and the case should be re-opened. The real culprits in the poison letters should be punished. Why an innocent family was tortured to the hilt, should also be probed.

Silence is not golden always. If justice is denied, at least I am convinced that it will be delivered on the Day of Judgment by God. Already my relations with my husband have been strained, because he is not willing to pursue the matter, out of his love for Mr. Khaled Al Maeena and his family. But, ultimately itfs me and my children who had suffered immensely. I believe that those who have no mercy deserve no mercy.

We love the Kingdom and its citizens despite all the past nightmares. Though nearly 17 years have passed and much water has flowed since then in the Red Sea, I have not yet lost hope of Islamic justice from the Saudi authorities, who prefer to avoid the issue and remain silent, but this would not be long, for I am optimistic that your Majesty and kind hearted people, would definitely see the reasoning of my petition, and hear the cries of an innocent family.

Finally, Your Majesty, I am not seeking any Mercy, for Mercy comes from Almighty God alone, but justice.

May Allah protect and bless you, the Kingdom and the Citizens.


Mrs. Najma Shahid Burney