Teenagers jailed for murder of 13-year-old

Emirati juveniles convicted after street brawl left victim stabbed 11 times and lying on the pavement.

DUBAI // Two teenagers were sentenced today to 10 years and five years in prison respectively for the premeditated murder of a 13-year-old Rashidiya youth in March. H A, 16, will serve 10 years in a juvenile detention centre and 17-year-old A M will serve five years there, Dubai Juvenile Court ruled. The defendants A A, 15, S H, 14 and A H, 15, were referred to a juvenile reform centre and placed on probation until they reach adulthood. The five Emirati juveniles were convicted of the murder of their 13-year-old compatriot Ali Mohammed Hassan during a street brawl in a fight with one of Ali's older brothers. The victim was stabbed 11 times and left on the pavement by his assailants.

Essam Eissa al Humaidan, the Dubai attorney general, had earlier said that the crime was foreign to and atypical of UAE society. Prosecutors recommended that the maximum penalty should be imposed on the teens. Mr al Humaidan said: "Although the defendants and the victim are very young, investigations revealed that the crime was committed with a lot of vengeance and force. "Such crimes have to be dealt with in a resolute manner by the judicial authorities and society has to take every precaution to stop such crimes taking place." Children over the age of seven and under 18 who are charged with a crime that carries the death penalty or life in prison face a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail under federal juvenile law. [e-mail]