(CNN) -- Indonesia's government has stepped in at the eleventh hour to help save an Indonesian woman on death row in Saudi Arabia from being executed this weekend. Satinah Binti Jumadi Ahmad, a 40-year old working as a housemaid in the Gulf kingdom, was sentenced to death in 2011 after she reportedly admitted to killing her 70-year-old female employer and stealing approximately $10,000. She said it was in self-defense as her boss had been trying to attack her at the time. She was facing execution on Saturday unless the dead woman's family received 7 million Saudi riyals ($1.8 million) in financial compensation, known as diyya or "blood money." A pardon would likely follow if the payment is made.
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NEW: Indonesian government agrees to pay $1.8M to family of murdered Saudi woman
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Indonesian maid was due to be executed after she reportedly admitted killing boss
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Saudi Arabia, Indonesia signed new agreement with work guarantees this year
Human rights groups say the pact is a step toward ensuring the protection of foreign workers' basic rights in @placeholder.