An Israeli woman has been sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates, after she was arrested for drug possession.
The woman, a 43-year-old Israeli Arab from the northern city of Haifa named Fida Kiwan, was arrested in Dubai on March 17th, 2021 after half a kilogram of cocaine was found at her apartment.
A UAE court found Kiwan guilty, despite her claim that the cocaine was not hers.
On Tuesday, the court handed down a death sentence.
The defendant’s attorney is expected to appeal the decision.
In a statement released Tuesday morning, the Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the sentence, saying: “We are aware of the case and are working via the department for Israelis abroad and our representatives in the Emirates.”
According to a report by Yedioth Aharanoth, Kiwan works as a photographer and graphic designer, and was offered an employment opportunity in the UAE by a Palestinian Arab acquaintance.
Kiwan made her way to Dubai independently, to an apartment arranged for her in advance. A week after her arrival, police searched the apartment and found 500 grams of cocaine there, an amount considered there to be beyond the threshold for personal use.