Kozhikkodenz Riyadh honored warriors of the Indian death-row prisoner Abdul Raheem’s case

RIYADH: A community organization composed of expatriates from theMalabar Coast of Kerala (India) called “Kozhikkodenz” has honoredthe heroes of the Kerala community, who have been instrumental inraising Rs 34 crore blood money and securing the release of AbdulRaheem, a Kerala native, from Saudi prison. Raheem, who spent two decades in jail after receiving the death sentence, returned to India after his release from the Saudi prison recently.

A group of community stalwarts, including Shameem Mukkom, Harshad Hassan Feroke, KC Shaju, Ashraf Vengat, Muneeb Pazhoor, Kunchoyi Kodambuzha, VKK Abbas, and Ashraf Vengat (Kozhikkodenz Founder) involved in the case since day one, were felicitated by Kozhikkondenz in a brief ceremony here. Muneeb Pazhoor (Kozhikkodenz Founder) was involved in the case in 2009 as co-defendant, while Naseer Ahmad, part of the same case, later acted
as chairman of Abdul Raheem Legal Assistance Committee, Riyadh.

They actively pursued the case of Abdul Raheem and developed the“Save Abdul Raheem App” to collect funds, expediting the case and retaining the lawyers. Kuchoyi kodambuzha (Kozhikkodenz Member) has been involved in the case since day one until the departure of Raheem to India recently. A large number of Indian expatriates and businessmen joined the campaign to save Raheem.

A prominent community leader Ashraf Venghat, general secretary of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre, another community leader Muneeb Pazhoor, and a few others were on the forefront of the campaign. To this end, it is important to mention that Abdul Raheem Machilakath, the Kozhikkode resident, arrived in Riyadh as house driver on November 26, 2006, and his job was to take care a handicapped boy. The death of the disabled boy in the car, driven by Abdul Raheem, led to a prolonged legal battle. He was given a death sentence.

After hectic lobbying and prolonged efforts, the victim’s Saudi family agreed to accept blood money of SR 15 million. The amount raised through a public campaign led to the pardon and repatriation of Abdul Raheem. Today, back in his hometown of Kozhikode after two decades behind bars, the 44-year-old Raheem thanks everyone for their help, especially the Kozhikkodenz warriors.

To this end, it is important to note that Shameem Mukkam (Kozhikkodenz Member), Abdul Raheem Legal Assistance Committee Riyadh IT Lead, worked as a consultant for the Save Abdul Raheem App, utilizing 20 years of experience in the United States and Saudi Arabia. Harshad Hassan Feroke (Kozhikkodenz Ex-CO) worked as the chief coordinator of Abdul Raheem Legal Assistance Committee, Riyadh, and coordinated all meetings as and when required.

On the other hand, Saheer Mohiudheen (Kozhikkodenz Ex-CO), worked as the correspondence coordinator of Abdul Raheem Legal Assistance Committee, Riyadh, and handled all correspondences as and when required. Kozhikkodenz felicitated Shakeeb Kolakkadan(Kozhikkoden Founder), Nasar Karanthoor (Kozhikkoden Founder), Faisal Vadakara (Kozhikkoden Founder), and Moideen Koya (Kozhikkodenz Member) on their behalf and appreciated Suhas
Cheppali (Kozhikkodenz Member and well-known business trainer).

The participants at the felicitation ceremony also remembered the services of Mohammed Kalangadan (Oracle) on the Save Abdul Raheem App and Shoukath Kodambuzha for taking care of Abdul Raheem’s needs as and when Abdul Raheem called from jail. This is the reality Abdul Raheem lived in for nearly two decades, until he was released early this year after an extraordinary public campaign raised Rs 34 crore in ‘blood money’ to save his life. It was a world where every knock on the prison door could have been his last.

Meanwhile, outside prison walls, support for him slowly gathered momentum. Indian Embassy officials, legal aid activists, and members of the Malayali diaspora continued lobbying and fundraising for years. The intervention of a Kerala businessman, Bobby Chemmannur, wascrucial. Then came the breakthrough. The blood money was finally secured after a massive campaign. For a man who had already mentally prepared for execution, freedom felt unreal.”It was a second birth for me,” Raheem said.

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