What does a death warrant in the UAE mean?

Under UAE law, any death sentence is subject to automatic appeal.

If the verdict is upheld by the Appeals Court and the Cassation Court, it goes to the emirate's Ruler for final approval.

If this is given, the condemned man then faces the firing squad.

There are more than 25 convicts on death row at Dubai Central Jail.

The last to be executed in Dubai was Rashid Al Rashidi, 30, a boat captain who raped and killed a four-year-old boy, Moosa Ahmed, in the bathroom of a mosque during Eid Al Adha in 2009.

Execution procedures state the families of convicts on death row can visit them during their imprisonment and on the day of execution, but are not allowed to witness their death.

However, the victim's families may be permitted to watch the execution.

Representatives from the prosecution, Dubai Police, the director of the prison and a doctor must be present when the sentence is carried out.

The death warrant must be read aloud by the director of the prison or one of his nominees.

A representative of the prosecution will document any last words said by the convict, as well as the time of death.

The firing squad consists of nine men, who go to an undisclosed location.

At least one is given a rifle loaded with a blank cartridge, so none of them knows who fired the fatal shot.

* The National