Indonesian Citizen Dies as Victim of Human Trafficking After Working as a Household Assistant in Saudi Arabia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - An Indonesian woman, identified only as M, has died after being a victim of human trafficking while working as a household assistant in Saudi Arabia.

The case came to light after the Directorate of Women and Children Protection and Human Trafficking Crimes of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) arrested five individuals based on police report number LP/B/102/III/2026/SPKT/Bareskrim Polri dated March 3, 2026.

“In February 2026, the family received information that the victim had passed away in Saudi Arabia. The victim's body was subsequently repatriated to Indonesia,” said Kombes Yolanda Evalyn Sebayang, Head of Sub-Directorate III of the Directorate for the Protection of Women and Children and the Eradication of Human Trafficking (PPA) during a press conference at the Polri headquarters on Thursday (November 12, 2026).

Yolanda explained that the case began in 2024 when M was offered a job as a household assistant in Saudi Arabia with a salary of 1,200 riyals.

She was recruited and her departure was facilitated by several parties, including field recruiters, sponsors, and companies handling her documents and visa.

M was sent to Saudi Arabia on August 11, 2024.

However, around November 2025, she informed her family that her health was deteriorating and she wanted to return to Indonesia.

“According to statements made during the investigation, the victim reportedly faced pressure and threats if she refused to continue working,” she said.

In February 2026, the family received the news of M's death in Saudi Arabia.

Five Suspects in This Case

The investigators have identified five suspects in this case and have taken them into custody.

The first suspect, identified as M, is a woman who played the role of a field recruiter.

She offered the job as a household assistant in Saudi Arabia to the victim before handing her over to a sponsor.

The second suspect, identified as AS, a woman, acted as the sponsor who managed the victim’s departure and coordinated with various related parties.

“The third suspect, N, a man, was also a sponsor who assisted with the documentation, travel, and departure of the victim,” she disclosed.

Next, suspect R, a woman who serves as a commissioner of PT Alpan Nusantara Perdana, coordinated the handling of Enjaz (the Saudi Arabian foreign worker authorization platform), biometric data, and the issuance of the victim’s visa through the company.

The fifth suspect, AN, a male who served as the CEO of PT Alpan Nusantara Perdana, was responsible for processing the visa, including managing the victim's passport data through the Enjaz system.

The police have also seized several pieces of evidence, including six mobile phones, two CPUs, passport documents, family cards, departure documents, and financial transaction documents.

The suspects are facing charges under Article 4 of Law No. 21 of 2007, Articles 81 and 86 of Law No. 18 of 2017, and Article 20 letter c of Law No. 1 of 2023.

“This case is receiving serious attention as the non-procedural placement of migrant workers can put individuals in unprotected working conditions, making them vulnerable to coercion and exploitation, and can even result in the loss of life,” she concluded.