Saudi should do more to stop maid abuse - watchdog

RIYADH (Reuters) - The U.S.-based watchdog Human Rights Watch said on Friday that Saudi Arabia was not doing enough to stop the abuse of foreign domestic maids.

The case of two Indonesian maids beaten to death this month by Saudi employers who thought they were practising witchcraft has highlighted the dangers faced by Asian workers in Saudi Arabia, the group said in a statement.

"The brutal killings of these Indonesian domestic workers occurred in an atmosphere of impunity fostered by government inaction," it said, quoting HRW senior researcher Nisha Varia.

"Not only do the authorities typically fail to investigate or prosecute abusive employers, the criminal justice system also obstructs abused workers from seeking redress."

Around one third of Saudi Arabia's population of over 24 million are foreigners, mostly Asian blue-collar workers who rights groups say lack legal protection.

Growing from a Bedouin desert society, Saudi Arabia has long needed expatriates as it uses its massive oil wealth to build cities and a modern economy.

The Labour Ministry has acknowledged that there are problems with workers' rights, but the government often also says that Islamic law ensures protection for both Muslims and non-Muslims and reminds foreigners that they are guests in the country.

"During visits to Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka in November and December, Human Rights Watch interviewed Sri Lankan domestic workers sentenced to prison and whipping in Saudi Arabia after their employers had raped and impregnated them," the report said.

It said the government should scrap requirements for workers to get their employer's permission to leave the country or change jobs inside Saudi Arabia.

A recent change waiving this requirement if an employer fails to pay three months of wages is "insufficient", it said.