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
- MAY 5, 2017United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
Ten Indians, convicted of killing a Pakistani man over a bootlegging feud in Abu Dhabi, were absolved of the death
Ten Indians, convicted of killing a Pakistani man over a bootlegging feud in Abu Dhabi, were absolved of the death
- MARCH 23, 2017United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE COURT PARDONS 10 PUNJABIS ON DEATH ROW
Ten Punjabi men have escaped the death sentence in the United Arab Emirates after the father of the Pakistani man they had accidentally killed submitted a letter of pardon in court.
- FEBRUARY 22, 2017United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: TEENAGER GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR STABBING MAN TO DEATH IN ROW OVER FOOTBALL
A 19-year-old Pakistani student was handed the death penalty for stabbing to death a countryman in a row over a football match.
FEBRUARY 13, 2017United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: SHARJAH COURT ORDERS DEATH SENTENCE TO PAKISTANI FOR KILLING WIFE
A Pakistani husband who killed his wife in Sharjah last year has been granted death sentence by the Sharjah Court.
- JANUARY 22, 2017United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DUBAI COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR OBAIDA'S KILLER
The Dubai Court of Appeals upheld the death sentence of Jordanian Nidal Eissa Abdullah, the killer of
- JANUARY 1, 2017United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is rarely applied in the UAE...
The death penalty is rarely applied in the UAE...
DECEMBER 19, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: DEATH ROW EMIRATI CONVICT WALKS FREE AFTER 14 YEARS
After languishing in jail for 14 years, waiting for a death penalty, an Emirati walked free recently as the court
- OCTOBER 31, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
In October 2016, the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) passed a Federal Law Decree 7/2016 amending the Emirates’ penal code.
In October 2016, the president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) passed a Federal Law Decree 7/2016 amending the Emirates’ penal code.
- JUNE 14, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DEATH PENALTY FOR ALGERIAN WHO KILLED CHINESE MAN UPHELD
An Algerian man who murdered a Chinese man and stole more than Dh1 million from him has failed in his
MAY 31, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: GULF SINGER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING EX-HUSBAND
The Court of Appeals in Al-Ain upheld the death penalty in the murder case of Emirati poet and director
- APRIL 20, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DEATH SENTENCE FOR SHARJAH SUPERMARKET MURDERER
A supermarket worker who killed a payroll manager in a row over wages has been sentenced to death in the UAE.
- FEBRUARY 24, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DEATH SENTENCE FOR ALGERIAN WHO KILLED MAN AND STOLE DH1M IN CASH
A 35-year-old Algerian was sentenced to death after being found guilty of killing a Chinese man and stealing more than Dh1 million in cash from him.
- FEBRUARY 14, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR JOINING DAESH
Four men were sentenced in absentia to death for joining Daesh and fighting with the terrorist group in Syria, the Federal Supreme Court ruled.
- JANUARY 28, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: WIFE’S KILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH DESPITE FAMILY PARDON
A court of appeals in Ras Al Khaimah sentenced an Arab man to death after he was convicted of killing his wife, despite a pardon by his children.
- JANUARY 1, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is rarely applied in the UAE...
The death penalty is rarely applied in the UAE...
- DECEMBER 14, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR JOINING TERRORIST ORGANISATION
Zayed Yaslam Ali, an Emirati, was sentenced to death in absentia for joining a terrorist organisation, the Federal Supreme Court ruled.
NOVEMBER 1, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: 2 YOUTHS ESCAPE DEATH IN KUWAITI MURDER CASE
A member of the Kuwaiti royal family and his fellow student have escaped the death penalty in a high-profile
- OCTOBER 28, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DUO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A man lost his appeal and will be executed for killing his wife in a fit of rage after she suspected him of
OCTOBER 21, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN DUBAI FOR SETTING TWO COLLEAGUES ON FIRE
A 32-year-old man was sentenced to death for setting two of his colleagues on fire, killing one of them.
- JULY 20, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE IMPOSES HARSH PENALTIES FOR RELIGIOUS CRIMES
The United Arab Emirates announced new legislation imposing harsh sentences including the death penalty for crimes related to religious hatred and Sunni extremism.
- JULY 13, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: WOMAN EXECUTED FOR KILLING AMERICAN TEACHER
The United Arab Emirates executed by firing squad a UAE woman convicted of terrorism early today after
- JULY 4, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: RAK COURT UPHOLDS MAN'S DEATH SENTENCE IN MURDER CASE
The RAK (Ras al-Khaima) Court of Cassation has upheld an earlier death sentence passed against a
- MAY 26, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: KUWAITI STUDENT ESCAPES DEATH PENALTY
A Kuwaiti student escaped the death penalty after his victim’s family pardoned him.
- MAY 25, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: FAMILY OF MURDERED MAID ACCEPT BLOOD MONEY OVER DEATH SENTENCE
The family of an Ethiopian maid tortured to death by her employers has spared her killers the death sentence.
- APRIL 30, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF HIS WIFE
An Arab man who hacked his wife to death with a cleaver has been sentenced to death by Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court.
- APRIL 2, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: ARSONIST SAVED FROM EXECUTION AFTER VICTIMS' RELATIVES ACCEPT 'BLOOD MONEY'
An Asian man convicted of murdering his aunt and her husband in Abu Dhabi was saved from execution after the victims’ relatives accepted diya (blood money) and pardoned him, a newspaper reported.
- MARCH 24, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: TOP COURT REJECTS DEATH FOR CONVICTED KILLER
The UAE’s top court overturned a death sentence against a defendant convicted of murdering another man
- MARCH 5, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: 4 SPARED DEATH PENALTY AFTER VICTIM’S KIN ACCEPT BLOOD MONEY
four Emirati men facing the death penalty for raping, killing and dismembering an Ethiopian maid were bailed
- FEBRUARY 2, 2015BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
UAE: 2 BANGLADESHIS TO RELIEVE FROM DEATH SENTENCE IN DUBAI
- JANUARY 1, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is rarely applied in the UAE...
The death penalty is rarely applied in the UAE...