Mon Mar 03 12:42:22 UTC 2025: ## Indian Woman Executed in UAE Despite Allegations of Forced Confession
**New Delhi, March 5, 2025** – Shahzadi Khan, a 33-year-old Indian woman from Uttar Pradesh, was executed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 15th, the Indian Foreign Ministry revealed to the Delhi High Court on Monday. Khan had been sentenced to death for the alleged killing of a four-month-old child in Abu Dhabi.
The Ministry informed the court that Khan’s execution was carried out in accordance with UAE law. The official communication regarding the execution was received by the Indian embassy in the UAE on February 28th. The court was also informed that the Indian authorities are providing assistance with Khan’s cremation, scheduled for March 5th.
The disclosure followed a plea filed by Khan’s father, Shabbir Khan, who sought information about his daughter’s legal status and well-being. He claimed his daughter, who travelled to Abu Dhabi in December 2021 on a legal visa to work as a caregiver, was subjected to torture and coerced into confessing to the infant’s death in December 2022. The infant’s parents, according to the petition, refused an autopsy and waived further investigation.
Despite claims that the confession was extracted under duress and that the Indian Embassy’s legal assistance was inadequate, Khan’s appeals were dismissed, leading to the upholding of the death sentence in February 2024. A subsequent mercy petition was also unsuccessful. Khan’s father received a call from his daughter on February 14th, 2025, indicating her impending execution, prompting his plea to the Foreign Ministry.
The Delhi High Court, acknowledging the situation as “sad and unfortunate,” dismissed the plea following the Ministry’s statement. The case has raised serious concerns about the treatment of Indian citizens abroad and the effectiveness of consular support in capital punishment cases.
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