Govt set to appeal UAE court verdict

The lawyers are presently studying the case and an appeal would be filed in a court of appeal by the middle of this week,sources said. Officials said since the appeal would come up in a regular court governed by criminal laws,the chances of commuting the death penalty are bright.

The legal expenses will be paid from the Indian Community Welfare Fund established by the Overseas Indian Ministry last year. We will continue to follow up the case and provide all assistance to the accused, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi told The Indian Express.

With the government taking serious note of the case and even terming it as shocking,the UAE Embassy in New Delhi,in an attempt to assuage the fears,on Monday said death penalty in that country was subject to appeal and asserted that its legal system would provide and guarantee a fair trial to the convicted.

Death penalty in UAE legal system is subject to appeal and cassation by the rule of law without any interference from the parties, the Embassy said in a statement referring to the case in which 17 Indians 16 from Punjab and one from Haryana were awarded death for killing the Pakistani in a fight over control of illegal liquor business.