The woman, who has not been
named, was convicted of adultery in August after her arrest in April last year.
She was sentenced to death
by stoning, while an unmarried Sri Lankan man convicted alongside her was
sentenced to 100 lashes.
The Saudi Arabian court has
commuted the death-by-stoning sentence passed on a Sri Lankan maid convicted of
adultery, Sri Lanka's government said on Wednesday.
The 45-year-old married
mother of two would now serve a "short jail sentence", said Harsha de
Silva, Sri Lanka's deputy foreign minister, without giving any further details
on the exact amount of time that she would have to remain behind bars.
"We have succeeded in
getting the death sentence overturned. Our concern was to make sure that the
original sentence was not carried out," de Silva told reporters in Sri
Lanka's capital Colombo.
"The government of Sri
Lanka wishes to acknowledge and appreciate the good offices of the Saudi
authorities.
"The sympathy,
understanding and the concern expressed, and assistance extended by many other
parties is also noted and deeply appreciated."
De Silva said the Sri
Lankan government had not appealed on behalf of the man.
The 45-year-old woman, who
was convicted of adultery in August, will serve "short jail term",
Sri Lankan official says.
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