After 18 long years, Riyadh jail sees emotional reunion of Abdul Rahim and his mother

Riyadh:  The Al-Iskan Jail in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, witnessed an emotional reunion when Abdul Rahim, a native of Kodampuzha in Kozhikode who has been incarcerated there for several years, was visited by his mother, Fathima, and other relatives after 18 years. 

Rahim, who was arrested following the accidental death of a Saudi boy, had not seen his family for nearly two decades. The visit, which came shortly after his mother’s Umrah pilgrimage, marked the first time Rahim met with his family while in custody.

Fathima, along with Rahim’s brother and uncle, travelled to Riyadh after completing their Umrah rites. Initially, Rahim, overwhelmed by emotions, was unable to meet with his family, but he eventually prepared himself for the encounter once his emotions settled.

During the meeting, Rahim expressed his emotions and revealed that he had been physically affected by the news of his mother’s arrival. “As soon as I heard my mother had come, I felt a rush of blood pressure, and I took medicine,” Rahim told friends over the phone. He also shared that he would like his mother to remember him as the young man who left for Saudi Arabia 18 years ago. “I wish she could have seen me in better circumstances,” he said.

Rahim had been sentenced to death in connection with the accidental killing of a Saudi boy. His case gained attention after his family was able to raise a considerable sum—approximately Rs 34 crores—as blood money to settle the dispute with the deceased’s family. In July, the court annulled his death sentence, and Rahim has been awaiting the possibility of release.

While his family had hoped that his release would come as early as October 21, the case has now been moved to a new bench, further delaying his freedom.

Despite the annulment of his death sentence, Rahim remains in prison, and his future now depends on ongoing legal proceedings. His family hopes that the case will soon reach a conclusion, allowing Rahim to return home after around two decades.