Migrant repatriated to Kerala after 20 years on death row in Saudi Arabia
An unprecedented mobilisation among the Malayali community in support of Abdul Rahim raised the huge sum requested as "diyah" (blood money) from the family of the disabled boy he cared for, who died in an accident. Despite the 15 million riyals paid, the Saudi court still required him to serve his prison sentence to the end. He arrived in India on Eid.
Abdula RKochi (AsiaNews/Agencies) – After nearly 20 years on death row in Saudi Arabia, Abdul Rahim, an Indian Muslim migrant originally from Kodampuzha, near Kozhikode in the state of Kerala, has finally come home.
His family and members of his local community greeted him with great emotion upon his arrival, yesterday, at Karipur International Airport on an Air India flight from Riyadh, which, coincidentally, happened as Eid celebrations are underway.
His release was made possible thanks to the payment of diyah (blood money) of about 340 million Indian rupees (around US$ 3.5 million).
Rahim, a professional driver, had moved to Saudi Arabia in November 2006 in search of better economic opportunities. In Kerala, he had worked as a school bus and autorickshaw driver.
As soon as he arrived in Riyadh, he began working for the Al Shahri family, caring for the 17-year-old son of his "sponsor”, Anas Al Shahri, who was paralysed and dependent on a ventilator.
According to Indian authorities and media reports, on 24 December 2006, while Rahim was driving, his hand accidentally touched a medical device connected to the boy.
Shortly afterward, the young man lost consciousness and died. Rahim was arrested the same day, just 28 days after arriving in the country. In 2011, a Saudi court sentenced him to death. The sentence was later upheld by higher courts.
After years of legal battles, in 2024 the victim's family agreed to grant pardon in exchange for the payment of diyah, a financial compensation provided by Islamic law in cases of unintentional homicide, injury, or damage.
The sum requested was 15 million Saudi riyals. Following the agreement, the Saudi court revoked the death sentence on 2 July 2024, but ordered Rahim to complete a 20-year prison sentence, which officially expired on 20 May 2026, according to the Arabic calendar.
The mobilisation of the Malayali community, both in India and abroad, was crucial to his release. The "Save Abdul Rahim" campaign became one of the largest grassroots fundraisers in Kerala's recent history.
Because the family was unable to raise the necessary funds on their own, over 60 Malayali organisations in Saudi Arabia coordinated legal and humanitarian support for years.
Through a dedicated digital platform, over 470 million rupees was raised between March and April 2024 thanks to donations from thousands of people, including migrant workers and ordinary citizens.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh stated that it closely followed the case, maintaining contact with Saudi authorities, and monitoring Rahim's condition during his detention.
In an official statement released on the day of his return, the embassy thanked the Indian community for their support over the years.
For Rahim's family, these 20 years have been marked by grief. His father died just six months after his arrest. His mother, Fathima, was able to meet him in person only once, in November 2024, after his pardon. The rest of the time, contact was limited to sporadic video calls.
Once back at his ancestral home in Machilakathu, an emotional Rahim thanked all those who contributed to his release.
His return during the Eid holiday was experienced as a moment of relief and celebration not only by his family, but also by the entire community that had supported his cause for nearly two decades.
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