ABU DHABI // Lawyers and legal advocates are appalled by families who exploit the killing of a relative to demand huge sums of blood money from the perpetrator’s family.
Although blood money, or diyya, is set at Dh200,000, some bereaved families have asked for millions of dirhams to overturn a death sentence for the killer.
“When a person has committed a murder and is sentenced to death, the victim’s family is called in and asked three questions: Will you pardon the person? Will you accept Dh200,000 in exchange for a pardon? Do you insist that they be executed?” said a judge at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.
According to judicial officials, any amount above Dh200,000 in blood money that a family asks for is agreed to outside of court.
“Blood money is strictly set at Dh200,000, anything additional is considered compensation or reconciliation money so that the death penalty is not enforced,” a judge said.
“It is a personal agreement between the two families, so they do not insist on the death penalty and are encouraged to pardon instead. It does not fall under the court’s jurisdiction.”
Lawyer Rashed Al Hajri said it was unacceptable for families to ask for huge sums of blood money, decrying that as a clear sign of greed.
“You cannot put a price on an individual or use his life as a bargaining tool to get as much money as possible. [But] it is understandable if the victim left behind young children and the family calculated the amount they would need to support these children.”
Mr Al Hajri said the civil courts would determine the amount of compensation to the bereaved familes, “but to use something as big as pardoning a death sentence is not acceptable”.
Lawyer Huda Al Falamarzy said she did not encourage families to ask for millions of dirhams in exchange for a pardon.“Those who pardon will be rewarded by God and if they do pardon they should follow the legal course and not abuse the system by asking for millions,” she said.
The law should place a limit on the amount of money that families can ask for, Ms Al Falamarzy said.
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Read more:
Blood money ‘not enough’ compensation, say UAE lawyers
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salnuwais@thenational.ae
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Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
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Would I ever find you again?
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Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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The flights
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