Freedom after 20 years: Abdul Rahim walks free from Saudi jail, returning to India

RIYADH: In a major relief to his family and well-wishers, Abdul Rahim, an Indian national who spent two decades behind bars in Saudi Arabia, has been officially released from prison. Rahim has been moved to a deportation centre, where he awaits the completion of final immigration formalities before boarding a flight back to India.

According to sources, Rahim’s official 20-year prison sentence concluded on May 19. While the official release orders faced minor administrative delays due to the ongoing Eid holiday closures in the Kingdom, Saudi authorities expedited the process under special protocols handling urgent legal matters.

The legal aid committee managing his case confirmed that Rahim’s exit visa has already been processed and approved. The committee is currently working round the clock to finalise travel arrangements, with hopes of repatriating him to his home state today.

Abdul Rahim’s legal ordeal began in November 2006 when he was arrested following the tragic death of his sponsor’s specially-abled son. Rahim had been employed to care for the boy.

• 2006: Arrested following the accidental death of the minor.
• 2012: Sentenced to death by a Saudi court, despite judicial acknowledgements that the fatality was the result of an unintentional mishap rather than deliberate intent.
• The Turnaround: Facing execution, a massive global crowdfunding campaign—spearheaded largely by the diaspora from Kerala—successfully raised a staggering 15 million Saudi Riyals (over ₹34 crore) to pay the Diyah (blood money) demanded by the victim's family.

Following the successful deposit of the compensation amount, the Saudi judiciary officially commuted his death sentence, paving the way for his release upon the completion of his remaining jail term. His impending return marks the end of a painful, twenty-year-long chapter for Rahim and his family.