UAE court hands Israel woman life sentence

The Abu Dhabi Court of Appeals yesterday sentenced Israeli woman, Fida Kiwan, to life over possession of an illegal substance, after commuting her death sentence last week, her defence team said.

Lawyers Tami Ullman and Shadi Srouji welcomed the court’s decision, saying the nightmare has ended now that the court has overturned the death sentence, adding that now they will do everything they can to bring her to Israel as quickly as possible.

Kiwan, 43, a resident of Haifa, was arrested in March 2021 and charged with drug trafficking after local authorities found over half a kilogramme of drugs, including marijuana and cocaine, in the apartment where she was staying.

Last April, the lower court sentenced her to death, but the Abu Dhabi Federal Appeal Court cancelled the punishment.

“I never thought in my entire life I would receive a death sentence. I don’t think it will happen. This is a modern country,” Kiwan told Israeli broadcaster Kan in April.

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