An Indian national, Shahzadi Khan, a 33-year-old woman from Banda district in Uttar Pradesh, who was sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s Abu Dhabi for the murder of an infant, has been executed. The Court of Cassation, the highest court in the UAE, had upheld her death sentence, and authorities carried out the execution in accordance with local laws, The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.
The MEA informed that the Indian Embassy in the UAE provided all possible legal assistance to Shahzadi, including filing mercy petitions and pardon requests with the UAE government. “An Indian national, Ms. Shahzadi, was convicted on charges of murder of an infant and sentenced to death in the UAE. The highest court of the UAE, the Court of Cassation, upheld the sentence. The Embassy provided all possible legal assistance to Ms. Shahzadi, including sending mercy petitions and pardon requests to the Government of the UAE,” it stated.
The UAE authorities officially communicated to the Indian Embassy on 28 February that her execution had been carried out on 15 February, as per the ministry.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, representing the Centre, informed the Delhi High Court that the MEA had extended all possible assistance to Shahzadi’s family. Advocate Ashish Dikshit, appearing alongside the ASG, stated that her cremation is scheduled for 5 March, news agency ANI reported. The court disposed of a plea filed by her father, Shabbir Khan, seeking the MEA’s intervention in ascertaining the legal status and well-being of his daughter.
Shabbir Khan was informed about his daughter’s execution on 15 February and was asked to visit the UAE by 5 March to participate in her last rites. The Indian Embassy also provided him with a dedicated mobile number for further assistance, according to the MEA.
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Shahzadi Khan’s Execution In Infant’s Murder Case
Shahzadi Khan had been facing execution in Abu Dhabi after being sentenced to death for the murder of an infant under her care. She was employed as a caregiver for her employer’s child, who was born in August 2022. According to a plea filed on her behalf, the infant received routine vaccinations on 7 December 2022 and passed away the same evening. While the hospital suggested a post-mortem, the parents declined further investigation and signed a consent letter waiving it.
In February 2023, a video recording allegedly showed Shahzadi confessing to the infant’s murder. However, she later claimed that the confession was coerced through torture and abuse by her employer and their family. She was subsequently handed over to Abu Dhabi police on 10 February 2023 and sentenced to death on 31 July 2023.
Her appeal against the death penalty was dismissed in September 2023, and the sentence was upheld by the court on 28 February 2024. Following this, her father sought clemency proceedings through the Indian Embassy. However, he initially received a response concerning an unrelated case. He submitted a fresh mercy petition in May 2024 and another to the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi on 11 July 2024, but did not receive a response, as per ANI.
On 14 February, Shahzadi called her father from prison, suggesting that her execution was imminent. Shahzadi Khan’s father Shabbir Khan recalled his last conversation and remarked “She was not given justice. I tried my best. I have been trying since last year. I don’t have enough money to go there (Abu Dhabi) and hire a lawyer. The government did not support us.”
STORY | Indian woman, Shahzadi Khan, on death row in Abu Dhabi executed, Delhi HC told
READ: https://t.co/RqDzAKeHqV
VIDEO | Here’s what Shahzadi Khan’s father Shabbir Khan said:
“She was not given justice. I tried my best. I have been trying since last year. I don’t have… pic.twitter.com/jFwBIbYgrF
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 3, 2025
In response, he filed a formal request with the MEA on 20 February 2025, seeking clarity on her legal status and well-being.
