The woman, identified by the initials HMM, was detained by the Saudi authorities and sentenced to death in 2009 for killing her Saudi husband, according to a statement in Jakarta on Monday.
The ministry and the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, made several efforts to resolve the case through diplomatic, litigation, and non-litigation means and to secure HMM's release.
"The KJRI in Jeddah provided assistance to HMM during the investigation six times and the trial 13 times," said the statement.
In addition to providing legal assistance, the KJRI filed an appeal with the High Court in Jeddah and a cassation request with the Supreme Court in Riyadh. Its officials also regularly met with HMM at the Jeddah prison.
The KJRI also approached the victim's heirs both directly and through the local Institute for Forgiveness and Reconciliation and made a mediation request to the Mecca Governor's Office.
"The efforts succeeded in reducing the legal demands for imprisonment and payment of fines," it said.
This year, HMM completed her 15-year prison sentence and paid a fine of 400,000 riyals (around US$106,500) with the help of a Saudi Arabian benefactor.
She was deported to Indonesia on November 28. She arrived in her hometown in Bangkalan on November 30, according to the ministry.
This year, the ministry sought the release of 26 Indonesian citizens facing the death sentence. However, the number of citizens involved in crimes inviting the death penalty increased by 20.
Currently, 155 Indonesian citizens facing the death penalty abroad—the majority of them in Malaysia—have been provided advocacy assistance by the Indonesian government.
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Translator: Nabil Ihsan, Asri Mayang Sari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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