Father seeks MEA intervention for daughter on death row in UAE, moves Delhi HC

By Sushil Batra
New Delhi [India], March 1 : The father of Shahzadi Khan, the UP woman facing a death sentence in the UAE, approached the Delhi High Court on Saturday seeking a directive to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and authorities to issue a bulletin and ascertain information regarding the exact current legal status and well-being of his daughter.
Shahzadi Khan, a 33-year-old woman from the Banda district in Uttar Pradesh, is facing execution in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Shahzadi Khan, currently imprisoned in Abu Dhabi's Al Wathba jail, has been sentenced to death by a court for the death of a child who was under her care.
Plea moved through advocate Ali Md Maaz stated that in December 2021, Shabbir Khan's daughter obtained a visa and traveled to Abu Dhabi, with a transit in Dubai. In August 2022, her employer, gave birth to a son for whom Shabbir's daughter was employed as a caregiver. On December 7, 2022, the infant received routine vaccinations and tragically passed away that evening.
The hospital recommended a postmortem, but the infant's parents refused and signed a consent letter waiving further investigation, as stated in the plea.
It further stated that in February 2023, a video recording allegedly showed Shabbir's daughter confessing to the infant's homicide, a confession she claims was extracted through torture and abuse by her employer and family. On February 10, 2023, she was handed over to the Abu Dhabi police, and on July 31, 2023, she was sentenced to death for the infant's homicide.
Although legal counsel was provided by the Indian Embassy, it reportedly pressured her to confess, denying her adequate representation. Her appeal in September 2023 was dismissed, and the death penalty was upheld on February 28, 2024.
Following the dismissal, Shabbir Khan sought clemency proceedings through the Indian Embassy but received a reply concerning an unrelated case. He filed a new mercy petition in May 2024. On July 11, 2024, he forwarded a mercy petition to the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi but received no response. On February 14, 2025, Shabbir Khan received a call from his incarcerated daughter, suggesting imminent execution. He then filed a formal request with the Ministry of External Affairs on February 20, 2025, seeking an inquiry into her legal status and wellbeing, but received no update.