United Arab Emirates
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 3
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Capital crimes are: murder, rape, treason, aggravated...
- News items in the archive
- 417
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
United Arab Emirates is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 3 the year before. The archive holds 417 news items on United Arab Emirates, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
JULY 8, 2026United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING OF MOTHER AND TWO DAUGHTERS IN RAS AL KHAIMAH
- MARCH 31, 2025United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: 3 UZBEK NATIONALS SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER KILLING OF CHABAD RABBI
Three Uzbek nationals accused of killing Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the United Arab Emirates last year have been sentenced to death, Israeli sources in the Gulf state told Hebrew-language media on March 30, 2025.
- MARCH 6, 2025United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: TWO KERALA NATIVES EXECUTED FOR MURDERS
Two Indians, natives of Kerala, were executed in the UAE on February 28, 2025 after being convicted of murder. The deceased individuals were identified as Muhammed Rinash Arangilottu and Muraleedharan Perumthatta Valappil.
- MARCH 4, 2025United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: INDIAN WOMAN EXECUTED FOR INFANT’S MURDER
Shahjadi Sabbeer Khan (30), a caregiver from Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district who was sentenced to death last year in the United Arab Emirates for the alleged murder of a four-month-old infant, was executed on February 15, 2025, the Ministry of External Aff
- JANUARY 16, 2024United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR PREMEDITATED MURDER OF GIRLFRIEND
The Dubai Criminal Court has sentenced an Arab man to death for the premeditated murder of his European girlfriend, Gulf News reported on Janury 16, 2024.
- JUNE 27, 2023United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: 2 OF 3 PARDONED FILIPINOS SAVED FROM DEATH ROW
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has pardoned three Filipino convicts — two of them on death row for drug trafficking and one with a 15-year sentence for slander, the Palace disclosed on June 23, 2023.
- JUNE 20, 2023United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: FOUR ASIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
The Grand Criminal Court at the Federal Primary Court in Abu Dhabi issued a unanimous verdict to execute 4 defendants of Asian nationalities after convicting them of charges related to the importation and trafficking of drugs, Emirates 24|7 reported on Ju
- JUNE 2, 2023United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
USA - U.N. Body Condemns Torture of Guantánamo Prisoner Awaiting Capital Trial
Together with United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Romania and Thailand
- MARCH 27, 2023United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
ISRAELI SENTENCED TO DEATH IN UAE RETURNS HOME
Fida Kiwan, a Haifa native who was sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates for drug trafficking, was pardoned by the UAE and given leave to return home, according to a March 25, 2023 Walla! report.
JULY 21, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR VIOLENT KILLING OF EMPLOYER
The Ajman Criminal Court sentenced a 30-year-old Asian national to death after he was convicted of murdering his employer, Khaleej Times reported on 6 July 2022.
JULY 11, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: ISRAELI WOMAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT AFTER DEATH SENTENCE STRUCK DOWN
An Israeli woman was sentenced to life in prison in Dubai, her defense team announced on 7 July 2022, after her death penalty for possession of an illegal substance was overturned by an appeals court last week.
- JUNE 30, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE COURT REVERSES DEATH PENALTY FOR ISRAELI FACING DRUG CHARGES
The United Arab Emirates has cancelled a death sentence issued earlier this year to an Israeli woman who was convicted of cocaine possession, her lawyer said on 28 June 2022.
- JUNE 12, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING GIRLFRIEND
An Asian man was handed a death sentence by the Umm Al Quwain Misdemeanour Court for killing his girlfriend on 1 June 2022.
- APRIL 21, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR ARABIAN RANCHES DOUBLE MURDER
A construction worker who stabbed an Indian couple to death in their bed was handed the death penalty by the Dubai Criminal Court on 20 April 2022.
- APRIL 12, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
ISRAELI ON UAE DEATH ROW WON'T BE EXECUTED, OFFICIAL SAYS
Fida Kiwan, the Israeli woman sentenced to death for drug smuggling in the United Arab Emirates will not be executed but will serve a prison sentence instead, a senior Israeli official said on 5 April 2022.
APRIL 7, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: ISRAELI RECEIVES DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG POSSESSION
An Israeli woman was sentenced to death in a court in the United Arab Emirates on 5 April 2022 for possessing half a kilogram of cocaine.
- MARCH 14, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: UMM AL QUWAIN COURT SENTENCES AFRICAN MAN TO DEATH FOR HIS ROOMMATE'S MURDER
An African man has been sentenced to death for murdering his roommate by stabbing him in the chest and heart, Khaleej Times reported on 13 March 2022.
FEBRUARY 16, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SHOOTING DEAD 3 FAMILY MEMBERS
A young man was sentenced to death on 16 February 2022 for killing three of his family members in Al Ain (United Arab Emirates) over a dispute involving family inheritance.
- JANUARY 20, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD FOR DRUG ADDICT ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS FATHER WITH 36 STAB WOUNDS
The Abu Dhabi Court of Cassation has upheld the death sentence for an Emirati man convicted of the premeditated murder of his father.
- JANUARY 12, 2022United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: TWO FILIPINO NATIONALS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SELLING DRUGS OVER WHATSAPP
The Criminal Court of Abu Dhabi has sentenced two Filipino nationals to death for the crime of possession and dealing in narcotics and psychotropic substances, Khaleej Times reported on 4 January 2022.
- DECEMBER 20, 2021United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO DEATH BY ABU DHABI COURT
The Criminal Court of Abu Dhabi has sentenced a Pakistani expatriate to death for possessing narcotic and psychotropic substances with the intention of promoting them, Gulf News reported on 20 December 2021.
- OCTOBER 7, 2021United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: FIVE MEN GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF BUSINESSMAN IN AJMAN
The Ajman Criminal Court on 4 October 2021 sentenced five Asians to death for the premeditated murder of an Asian businessman and for stealing Dh109,000 from his apartment in Ajman.
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: DRUG ADDICT, WHO STABBED FATHER 36 TIMES, GETS DEATH SENTENCE
An Emirati drug addict in Al Ain has been sentenced to death for killing his father after the victim allegedly refused to give him money to buy drugs, Khaleej Times reported on 13 September 2021.
JUNE 13, 2021United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYINDIA: LULU JOB OFFER FOR EXPAT SAVED FROM DEATH ROW IN UAE
An Indian expat on death row in the UAE returned home on 9 June 2021 after languishing in jail for almost nine years in a road accident case.
- JUNE 3, 2021United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: INDIAN BUSINESSMAN PAYS ‘BLOOD MONEY’ TO SAVE MAN ON DEATH ROW
A Keralite who was awaiting capital execution in the United Arab Emirates for causing the death of a young boy got a new lease of life as NRI tycoon M A Yusuff Ali extended a helping hand by paying a compensation (blood money) of Rs 10 million (500,000 di
APRIL 14, 2021United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: MURDERER SENTENCED TO DEATH PARDONED BY VICTIM'S FAMILY
The Sharjah Court of Appeal has reduced a sentence of death issued against a 34-year-old Asian accused of killing his roommate to seven years in prison, Khaleej Times reported on 14 April 2021.
- NOVEMBER 10, 2020United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DEATH PENALTY FOR FORCED SEX WITH A MINOR, 'HONOR CRIMES'
So-called "honor crimes" will now be punishable like any other crimes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the Gulf state announced a sweeping overhaul of its Islamic legal code on 7 November 2020.
- NOVEMBER 4, 2020United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: SUPREME COURT QUASHES DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG DEALERS; FRESH TRIAL ORDERED
Two men convicted of dealing heroin have had their death sentences overturned by the UAE’s top court, Khaleej Times reported on 4 November 2020.
MARCH 25, 2020United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF FATHER WHO SEXUALLY ABUSED DAUGHTER
The Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court of Appeal has upheld the death sentence earlier issued against an Asian father after he was found guilty of sexually abusing his minor daughter, Khaleej Times reported on 25 March 2020.
- MARCH 9, 2020United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: DUO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING BROTHER
The Dubai Criminal Court on 7 March 2020 pronounced the death sentence on two Asians, who strangled their brother to death in an ‘honour killing.’