Over 2 dozens Indians on death row in UAE, a cause for worry

Thiruvananthapuram: Many families in India have reasons to worry over the reports of death sentences being executed in the UAE as it has the highest number (29 Indians) on death row as of February.

According to a reply given by Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, in the Rajya Sabha on February 13, a total of 54 Indians were facing death sentence in foreign countries. The highest among them were in the UAE - 29, followed by Saudi Arabia where 12 are on death row.

The three Indians, including a woman from Uttar Pradesh and two men from Kerala, who were recently subjected to death row could be among the 29 Indians.

Since people from Kerala constitute a large chunk of NRIs in the Gulf countries, the chances of more Keralites among those facing death sentence is also high.

Rajya Sabha MP Haris Beeran, who had raised the question in the Rajya Sabha, told DH that before executing the death sentence of a foreign national the family of the prisoner should be informed through the foreign mission of the respective country. "As per the reports that we came across so far it was not done while executing the death sentence of the three Indians in UAE. In that case, the Centre should consider the matter seriously," said Beeran, who represents the Indian Union Muslim League.

Efforts for the release of two Keralites, including a woman, on the death row in Arab countries, have already received much attention. But raising 'blood money' to secure their release has been a challenge.

36-year-old Malayali nurse Nimisha Priya is on death row in Yemen for murdering her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdu Mahdi. Her elderly mother is camping in Yemen with the support of volunteers.

The minister of state for external affairs said in the Rajya Sabha recently that $40,000 was already given to the family of the deceased Yemeni national and efforts for enabling her release were still progressing.

The release of Malayali driver Abdul Rahim facing death sentence in Saudi Arabia is pending before a Riyadh court even as the family of a 15-year-old boy killed by Rahim reportedly granted pardon to him after accepting 'blood money' of Rs. 34 crore, which was raised through crowdfunding in Kerala.