Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Anweshi, a Kerala-based advocacy group for women's rights, is taking up the case of a hospital worker in Sakaka who was allegedly imprisoned by her employer for a couple of months. Lisa Antony, 38, was denied work, salary and even food by the company that recruited her for hospital cleaning about nine months ago. The Federation of Kerala Associations in Saudi Arabia (FOKASA) had forwarded the case to Anweshi to investigate the placement agency that recruited her. K. Ajitha, president of Anweshi, said Anweshi volunteers inquired about the recruiting agent who was identified as “Mr. Hakim." According to information gathered by Anweshi volunteers, Hakim is a fake name assumed by the swindler, who is reportedly a Christian. The man, based in Manjeri town in Malappuram district, went into hiding since the police started investigations into the case and his mobile phone remains switched off. Ajitha said she had approached V.S. Achuthanandan, the leader of the opposition in the state, to raise the issue with the authorities concerned, including the chief minister of Kerala. Antony was recruited from Kerala on a monthly wage of SR1,200 with free food and accommodation. On arrival in Sakaka, northern Saudi Arabia, she was assigned cleaning work in two hospitals in the city. She was allegedly forced to work from 6 A.M. to 11 P.M. and her salary was reduced to SR600, according to R. Muraleedharan, president of FOKASA. He said Antony's employer did not give her an iqama (residency permit) even though the company had deducted SR1,000 from her salary toward the expenses. Antony told social workers that she had been mistreated when she tried to raise her grievances with the company management. She was pushed out of the office and asked to stop work until further notice. Antony said she had been virtually locked up in her room for more than a month and denied proper food.
