Daijiworld Media Network – Kozhikode
Kozhikode, May 29: In a rare case of international legal closure driven by community mobilisation, Abdul Rahim, a native of Kodampuzha in Ramanattukara near Kozhikode, Keralam, has returned home on Eid after spending nearly 20 years on death row in a Saudi Arabian prison.
His release came after Rs 34 crore in blood money was paid, raised through an extensive crowdfunding campaign led by Malayali organisations worldwide.
Rahim, a driver by profession, arrived at Kozhikode’s Karipur International Airport early Thursday morning, May 28, on an Air India flight from Riyadh and was warmly reunited with his family at his ancestral home in Machilakathu.
According to an official statement from the Embassy of India in Riyadh, Rahim was pardoned and released on May 20 after two decades of imprisonment. The Embassy noted that his flight had already departed for India shortly before the statement was issued. It further stated that it had consistently pursued the case with Saudi authorities and closely monitored his well-being throughout his incarceration.
Rahim had travelled to Riyadh on November 28, 2006, seeking better job prospects after working as a school bus driver and autorickshaw driver in Keralam. He was assigned to assist his sponsor Fayis Abdullah Abdulrahman Al Shahri’s 17-year-old son, Anas Al Shahri, who was paralysed and dependent on a life-support system.
He was arrested on December 24, 2006, just 28 days after arriving in Saudi Arabia, following an incident in which he unintentionally touched a medical support device connected to the boy while driving. The teenager subsequently became unconscious and died. Rahim was arrested the same day and later sentenced to death by a Saudi court in 2011, with the verdict subsequently upheld by higher courts.
After prolonged legal proceedings, the victim’s family agreed in 2024 to pardon Rahim upon receipt of diyah (blood money) amounting to 15 million Saudi riyals, approximately Rs 34.35 crore. Following the settlement, the Saudi court revoked the death sentence on July 2, 2024, while directing Rahim to complete his prison term, which ended on May 20 according to the Arabic calendar.
Diyah, under Islamic law, refers to financial compensation paid to the victim or their heirs in cases of unintentional harm, and is recognised in several countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh, while acknowledging the outcome, also commended the Indian diaspora—particularly Malayali organisations—for their sustained support, solidarity and engagement throughout the prolonged legal process.
The “Save Abdul Rahim” campaign evolved into one of Keralam’s largest-ever public crowdfunding movements. When the family was unable to arrange the required amount, Malayali organisations in Saudi Arabia and support groups in Keralam launched a coordinated global fundraising drive.
Contributions from across the world, including expatriate workers and ordinary citizens, reportedly exceeded Rs 47.87 crore between late March and April 12, 2024, through a dedicated digital platform, according to ANI. More than 60 Malayali organisations in Saudi Arabia coordinated the legal and public campaign, while committees in Keralam managed mobilisation efforts.
Rahim’s emotional homecoming coincided with Eid celebrations. Fighting back tears, he expressed gratitude to all those who supported him. “I thank all Keralites across the world who made my release a reality,” he was quoted as saying.
The ordeal had a devastating impact on his family: his father, Muhammedkutty, died six months after his arrest, while his mother, Fathima, met him only once in person in November 2024 after the pardon, with communication largely maintained through video calls during his imprisonment.
His return on Eid brought emotional closure to a two-decade-long ordeal, sparking relief and celebration among his family and the wider community that supported his release. The Embassy of India in Riyadh extended its warm wishes to Rahim and his family on their reunion.