DUBAI: An Indonesian maid is fighting for her life after suffering sadistic torture and rape by her sponsor, the Saudi newspaper Arab News reported yesterday.

Twenty-five-year-old Suniati Binti Nibaran Sujari was in a critical condition in intensive care with burns to more than half of her body and brutal injuries to her genitals, said the paper.

It is the second case of brutal torture of an Indonesian maid reported within the last three weeks in Saudi Arabia.

Sujari was rushed to the intensive care unit of the Riyadh Medical Complex on Thursday morning. Her employer has been detained and is being questioned by police about allegations of sexual harassment and physical torture.

Nasser al-Dandani, a Saudi lawyer representing the Indonesian embassy in this case, confirmed that Suniati had been tortured but refused to give further details.

Arif Suyoko, a spokesman for the embassy, told Arab News Suniati has suffered extensive burn injuries on her face, hands, legs, abdomen and genitals.

“She could only nod her head and blink her eyes when the name of her employer as culprit was mentioned to her in the hospital,” said Suyoko, and indicated her condition was deteriorating. “She is unable to swallow solid foods because of severe burns on her chest,” he added.

“Suniati probably has been raped besides being tortured by her sponsor and his family members,” Suyoko said.

The maid hails from West Java in Indonesia.

In comments to Arab News, embassy officials also expressed concern that cases of sadistic torture and brutal beatings of housemaids appeared on the increase.

“There is a need to streamline the whole process of maid deployment,” said another diplomat, adding that Jakarta’s ban on deployment of maids in Saudi Arabia continues. –  DPA