KOZHIKODE: The postponement of Kodampuzha native Abdul Rahim’s release from a Saudi Arabia prison has left his family devastated. Rahim, who has been imprisoned in Riyadh for the past 18 years, was expected to walk free soon after his death sentence was commuted. However, the Riyadh court has deferred the case for another two weeks, citing procedural delays.
Expressing her anguish, Rahim’s mother Fathima said, “I have waited for so long to reunite with my son. I was hoping this would be the moment, but it keeps slipping away. Please bring my child home soon.”
Rahim’s brother Nazir also shared his disappointment.
“We were full of hope today, but once again, we are left waiting. The lack of updates from the court only adds to the distress,” he said.
A massive fundraising campaign spearheaded by a legal aid committee collected Rs 47.87 crore for his release, which included the diya (blood money) payment of Rs 36.27 crore. Once the payment and the required documents were submitted, the court commuted his death sentence.
Despite these efforts, the final release order has not yet been signed. Had the court approved it during the scheduled Sunday hearing, Rahim could have been released. Now, his release is tentatively expected to be considered again in two weeks.
The legal aid committee has announced that the remaining Rs 11.6 crore in the trust account will be used for philanthropic activities after Rahim returns home.