KUWAIT CITY, Aug 25: The Criminal Court sentenced a citizen to death Wednesday for trading in heroin and other hallucinogenic drugs.
Abdullah H. was also sentenced to four years in prison for another charge. It is unknown whether the suspect will appeal his sentence.
He was caught and charged on May 12 with smuggling into the country heroin, marijuana and other illegal substances with the intent to sell. After investigations, the police found the incriminating evidence in his possession.
Kuwait has executed a total of 72 people, three of them women, since it introduced the death penalty some four decades ago. Most of the condemned have been convicted murderers or drug traffickers.
Kuwaiti law does not allow the execution of the insane or persons under 18 years of age. Capital cases are automatically reviewed by the Court of Appeal, and if upheld, are referred to the Court of Cassation, the country’s highest court, before being sent to the Amir for ratification. Once they have been approved by the Amir, an execution order is issued by the chief justice and passed to the prosecutor general.