Friday, May 23, 2008

Inconsistent jail terms

I've talked about this several times previously I know, but again in Gulf News there are reports of incompatible jail sentences.

I mean the relative length of sentences for different crimes.

Today for example there are two reports:

A gang of four thieves who resided in Sharjah but travelled to rob construction sites in Fujairah were jailed for six months each by a Fujairah court.

That's here.

An Emirati who knocked down and killed two Indian schoolgirls while speeding has been jailed for six months.

He was also ordered by the Traffic Court to pay Dh100,000 in blood money to each of the victims' families and fined Dh5,000.


That's here.

Six months for robbing building sites. Six months for killing two children by speeding.

And if you bring a codeine tablet into the country you get four years.

9 comments:

samuraisam said...

In other countries you could (and should) get six months in jail for merely speeding... http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23581401-2761,00.html

Anonymous said...

To deny the rumors of being involved in drug smuggling, then you have to show that you have some tough laws against it .. so that piece of news about drugs sends the message that: "See world, we are tough on this issue, even for the smallest trace of drugs".

Got the point?

Seabee said...

Anon I understand the point, but you've missed them all. Let me help you:

Codeine has nothing to do with drug smuggling or being tough on what the rest of the world considers drugs.

The posting is about the relative nature of sentences.

LDU said...

Wow...that's really twisted.

Anonymous said...

I hope this does not happen but you will have to see the sentence if an expat happens to be in the place of that emarati driver and an emarati in the place of those two little girls.

I suppose the sentence would be at least AED 200,000/- plus as blood money and jail sentence of some 5 to 10 years or so.

All the sentences here are normally relative to many situations and scenarios nothing is based on any law thats my belief.

Anonymous said...

Its the UAE, why should an Emirati be punished with long sentences for running over 2 Indian girls?

Its their country, their laws, and their right to implement laws as they see fit (favoring Emiratis is their right)...

If someone doesnt like it then can always leave.......

Anonymous said...

I knew one of the famous argument "If you dont like it leave" will come.

One day will come when every one of us will leave, dont ask for that day, it will be very tough for your then because you will have to work very hard then.

I have already started my process to leave and will be leaving Insha-Allah to the non-muslim land. The life would be hard but I believe the justice will be same for all.

It is the denial of justice in muslim world that is going to destroy it, I being muslim am a part of it and I wonder why we muslims do not understand it.

Seabee said...

Zafar, "if you don't like it you can leave" is such a fatuous, infantile comment that no-one says it for real any more.

The anonymous comment was just a troll trying to wind us up.

Anonymous said...

It's shameful the way locals get ultra-light punishments for speeding incidents and unsafe work conditions wherein people die.
To be sure, it's admirable the way the UAE government helps its people - with education, health care and housing, etc. - but really it's embarassing for the UAE that their locals can literally get away with murder.