QATAR: DEATH PENALTY CONFIRMED FOR TWO FROM TAMIL NADU

January 2, 2017: The highest court of Qatar upheld death penalties awarded to two labourers from Tamil Nadu and commuted the life sentence of a third to 15 years’ imprisonment.
The Court of Cassation’s decision means that Alagappa Subramanian and Chinnadurai Perumal – on death row – and Sivakumar Arasan have exhausted their legal options. All three were convicted of the 2012 murder of a woman who was a Qatari citizen.
“The court also rejected the prosecution’s appeal to have the death penalty awarded to Mr. Arasan. The only options left to these men is a clemency petition to the Emir of Qatar. The Indian Embassy will have to do this,” said Nizar Kochery, a lawyer engaged by the Indian Embassy to represent the three men. (Sources: thehindu.com, 03/01/2017)