Indian woman on UAE death row for killing baby executed
What's the story
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has informed the Delhi High Court that Shahzadi Khan, a 33-year-old Indian woman, was executed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 15 for allegedly killing a four-month-old baby.
Khan, a native of Banda district in Uttar Pradesh, had visited Abu Dhabi as a tourist on December 19, 2022.
She later became a caregiver for an infant son of a local couple who arranged her caretaker visa.
Legal proceedings
Accusation and sentence: Khan's journey to death row
But in February 2023, the couple employing Khan accused her of homicide, following which she was arrested by Abu Dhabi police.
The court of first instance sentenced her to death on July 31, 2023, and the appellate court upheld the sentence on February 28, 2024.
Before her execution, Khan was held in Al Wathba central jail.
Family's struggle
Father's plea for clarity : Unanswered questions remain
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma said the Indian embassy in the UAE received an official communication about the execution on February 28 after her father, Shabbir Khan, approached the Delhi High Court seeking clarity on his daughter's legal status.
In his petition, he alleged that Shahzadi was inadequately represented before the local courts, and she was pressured into "confessing," resulting in the imposition of the death penalty on July 31, 2023.
Legal concerns
Allegations of coercion and inadequate representation
The plea further stated that the infant died after routine vaccinations in December 2022, and despite hospital recommendations for a postmortem, the parents refused.
However, video footage was produced in which she purportedly admitted to the murder.
The plea contended that this confession was coerced.
The MEA informed the high court bench that the ministry and Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi would provide support for her family members' trip to Abu Dhabi to perform the funeral rites on March 5.