Maid pleads not guilty to blasphemy charges

dubai — The Dubai Public Prosecution is seeking the strictest penalty to be inflicted on a woman accused of contempt and disrespect of the Holy Quran.

According to the prosecution arraignment sheet, the 36-yearold Indonesian maid made contempt of and ridiculed the Holy Quran by sitting on it at her employer’s house.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges at the Court of First Instance.

“No. I did not mean any disrespect. I am Muslim too,” the defendant replied to presiding judge Erfan Attieh, who asked her whether it was common in her country to sit on the Holy Quran when swearing.

The incident was reported to Al Rashidiya Police Station on August 30.

“I was on duty when the complainant came around 4pm with the defendant. She said that the accused brought the Holy Quran from her room, put it on the floor and then sat on it,” a police officer told the prosecutor.

The employer had suspicions the maid was practising witchcraft in the house’s backyard and confronted her but the latter denied claiming she was only carrying out her cleaning duties.

“When we questioned the maid whether she did what her employer was accusing her of, she said the employer asked if she cleaned the house and she replied in positive.

“The maid added the housewife did not believe her and accused her of practising witchcraft. Even though she denied, the employer did not believe and asked her to bring the Holy Quran from her room to swear.”

The officer added: “After she brought the book, the maid put it down on the floor and sat on it so that the sponsor would believe her that she cleaned the house and did not practise sorcery.”

The domestic worker confessed to the charge during the investigation.

The investigating prosecutors referred her to court and recommended she be given the most severe penalty, as per the Federal Criminal Procedures Law. A verdict is expected on October 30.— mary@khaleejtimes.com