UAE is now the country with most Indians on death row abroad | Here’s how

UAE is now the country with most Indians on death row abroad | Here’s how

New Delhi: In recent times, the United Arab Emirates has become a country with the most number of Indians on death row. While executions have been carried out on some, others are still waiting on death row in the country. On various occasions, those on death row have either approached the UAE Government for mercy or approached Indian authorities for help.

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The turn of events for most Indians on death row has been quite shocking as many of them reached UAE in search of jobs and better lifestyles. On several occasions, those on death row have even claimed to have been falsely implicated in various cases.

According to government data released last month, the UAE accounts for the highest number of Indians on death row outside the country. Sharing more details, the government said that a total of 29 Indians are on death row in the country. It added that a total of 54 Indians were awarded death sentences in foreign courts. UAE also has the second highest number of Indians in prison, with Saudi Arabia being the highest with 2,633.

The government's data further revealed that apart from the UAE, 12 other Indians are also facing death row in Saudi Arabia, three in Kuwait, and one each in Yemen and Qatar. There are no Indians on death row in Oman, Iraq, and Bahrain. The fact that many Indians face death row in this country suggests the hard realities they face due to the laws of the land.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Kabir Taneja, deputy director and fellow at the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation, said that in several cases, when Indians move to other countries, withholding their passports by their employers has become a norm. In several cases, salaries have also been delayed, which led them to take fatal steps.

Talking about Nimisha Priya’s case, Taneja pointed out that even in this case, her passport was taken away. Due to this, she decided to take back her passport by injecting her employer with sedatives.

A nurse from Kerala, she is awaiting death row in Yemen. Her death sentence was approved by the Yemini government last year in December. Leaving only one option which was to secure pardon from the family of Talal Abdo Mahdi, who was killed in 2017. In the last few months, negotiations have been going on with the family of the deceased over blood money.

Machilakath Abdul Rahim, a native of Kerala’s Kozhikode, had gone to Saudi Arabia in 2006 to work as a driver. He was hired by a family not only to drive their vehicle but also to take care of their differently-abled son Anas Al Shahri. Six months into the job, he accidentally killed the boy by hitting the tube in his throat during a trip. The victims finally agreed to pardon Rahim after Rs 34 crore was raised as blood money.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the execution of Arangilottu and Valappil in the UAE. The two natives from Kerala were awarded death sentences for the murder of an Emirati citizen and an Indian, respectively. The two were executed on February 28. Both were given death sentences by the Court of Cassation, the highest court of the UAE.

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Sharing details, the MEA said that both of them were given consular and legal assistance. However, all efforts to help them did not succeed. The news about the execution came on the heels of Shahzadi Khan (33), another Indian national, who was also hanged. Shezadi, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, was convicted for killing a four-month-old child.

Her family members claimed that Shahzadi was sent to UAE under false promises. After reaching the country, she was hired by another Indian couple to take care of their baby. However, as luck would have it, the couple blamed her for the death of their child. The family of Shahzada claimed that she was innocent and that the child got the wrong vaccination which led to his death.