Saudi Arabia has executed a second Indonesian maid in just one week.  And this is causing a dilemma for Jakarta, which protested the executions while facing fierce criticism for its own failure to heed calls for clemency for a number of foreigners on death row, including two Australians.

Saudi Arabia provided no official warning before ordering the beheading of 37-year-old Karni Bt. Medi Tarsim, for allegedly killing her employer’s four-year old son in 2012.  Nor did Riyadh make an announcement before the execution of 47-year-old Siti Zaenab duhri Rupa in the city of Medina. 

Siti was convicted of killing her employer's wife in 1999.  But rights groups suspect she was mentally ill and likely couldn’t have confessed to the crime as Saudi authorities had claimed.  What’s more, Amnesty International said some reports indicated that Siti was abused in her employer’s home.

In each case, Jakarta pressed the Saudis to show leniency towards the women.  And that raises eyebrows with those trying to convince Indonesia to demonstrate the mercy that it seeks for foreigners on death row, including convicted drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran – arrested exactly ten years ago on Friday. 

“The executions of two Indonesian citizens in Saudi Arabia in a single week should be a turning point on the subject of death penalty in Indonesia,” said Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch.

If only Joko Widodo would listen.