UAE authorities have released an Israeli woman sentenced to death on drug trafficking charges, according to an amnesty announced by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the occasion of the month of Ramadan.
the newspaper saidYediot AhronotIn Hebrew on Saturday evening, Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed announced an amnesty for Fidaa Kiwan, a 43-year-old Arab Israeli woman living in Haifa who was previously sentenced to death on drug trafficking charges.
She added: “President of the United Arab Emirates Mohamed bin Zayed has pardoned Israeli Fidaa Kiwan, who was captured in March 2021 while possessing half a kilo of cocaine. She was originally sentenced to death, but her sentence was reduced to life imprisonment.”
She explained that this decision was taken as part of the pardon granted by the President of the Emirates to prisoners on the occasion of the month of Ramadan, based on the “humanitarian appeal of the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, to the President of the Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed.”
And she continued: “A few weeks ago, President Duke made a personal humanitarian appeal to the President of the UAE, and as a goodwill gesture towards him, Mohammed bin Zayed decided to pardon her and release her in Israel.”
The newspaper reported, quoting the Duke’s office: “The President of the State expressed his gratitude to the President of the UAE and congratulated him, his people and all our neighbors on the blessed month of Ramadan, a month of goodness and peace.”
Kivan, a photographer who owned a photography studio in Haifa, was sentenced to death in April 2022 for possession of half a kilo of cocaine.
At the end of June last year, the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeal overturned the death sentence handed down by Fidaa Kiwan.
Source: Hebrew media.