"The embassy has signed cooperation contracts with five local lawyers."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has solved thousands of legal cases of Indonesian migrant workers in Saudi Arabia as part of its commitments to protect Indonesian citizens abroad.

Through mediation efforts made by the Indonesian embassy in Saudi Arabia, the government managed to recover the wages of migrant workers amounting to up to US$2.6 million, the ministry`s director of information and media PLE Priatna said in a written statement made available early Sunday.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh has successfully handled 4,360 serious and light cases of Indonesian citizens. Of the total, 4,195 cases, except death penalty cases, have successfully been resolved and the Indonesian citizens involved in the cases have been repatriated to Indonesia," he said.

Overall, 99 percent of the cases could be resolved, while the remaining 1 per cent or 165 cases will be settled in 2013, he said.

Priatna said to handle special cases related to legal violation and criminal offenses, the embassy provided interpreters and lawyers for the problematic migrant workers in court sessions.

"The embassy has signed cooperation contracts with five local lawyers in order to give protection to problematic Indonesian citizens under the command of Indonesian Citizens Protection and Services Task Force of the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh," he said.

In addition, the embassy also has a transit house with a capacity of accommodating approximately 200 people. Under normal conditions, the transit house can give shelter to an average of 150 problematic migrant workers.

However, in certain periods of time, such as after the Hajj pilgrimage season, the transit house often accommodated up to 500 people, he explained.

Under these circumstances, the embassy provides emergency shelter on the basement of the embassy building with a capacity of accommodating up to 100 people, he said.
(T.A060/S012)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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