JEDDAH: Ram Pradip Mali, an Indian national, is waiting to be deported after spending five months with his leg chained to a white bed on the fourth floor of King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah. An official of the National Society for Human Rights Society (NSHR) said Sunday that Mali's treatment was inhumane. He was brought to the hospital from the General Prison in Jeddah on Jan. 10 and suffers from severe weakness. Medical checkups and tests have showed that he is suffering from severe anemia; an acute shortage of blood corpuscles and white blood cells, which has caused severe inflammation; and acute bone marrow, problems that threaten his life. He was admitted to intensive care and moved to an isolation room due to concerns about infections. The hospital has written several letters to prison officials, demanding Mali's speedy deportation after his condition stabilizes because of treatment costs reaching hundreds of thousands of riyals. In addition, there are fears there might be a relapse in his condition because his leg has been chained to bed for five months, which has caused him to suffer from a difficult psychological state. Dr. Hussein Al-Shareef, supervisor of the NSHR branch, said the man is disgruntled because the Indian consulate has not made any serious effort to solve his case after its representative visited him in the hospital. Mali has also said that the consulate has not given him the same treatment his colleagues received following their arrest in Taif in a forgery case; they were promptly deported, Al-Shareef added. “We are preparing a report on the patient's condition, which we will refer to authorities for expediting his deportation due to his heath condition,” Al-Shareef said. The treatment meted out to him is improper and unnecessary, Al-Shareef said. “Chaining him in this way is an inhuman and inappropriate act,” he said. “It is humiliating and does not show any regard for the patient's dignity and it is causing him fear. The NSHR has legal measures that put a limit to such mistakes committed and practiced by some authorities.” Al-Shareef demanded that consular officials visit Mali and address the matter. The NSHR will contact the Emir's Office in Makkah Region to expedite his deportation, Al-Shareef said.
