Dubai court upholds death sentences

A Dubai court has dismissed the plea from two east Europeans to commute their death sentences.

The Dubai Criminal Court refused to commute the sentence in which the Russian and Ukranian were found guilty of murdering their friend.

The Russian SAV, and his accomplice SAY had killed a friend on July 10, 2001. A woman accomplice was also found guilty of helping them hide the weapon used in the crime and sentenced to three years in jail followed by deportation.

All sentences were subsequently upheld by the courts of appeals and cassation before the two men on the death row struck a deal with blood money to be paid to the victim’s kin.

The Dubai Court of First Instance had also turned down their plea to commute the sentence based on the pardon they managed to get from the victim’s family.