Drug offenders, who have been convicted and deported from the UAE, will now be allowed to appeal to return to stay in the emirates, thanks to a revised drug law.
The UAE drug law, which came into effect in January this year, says that deportation will not be a mandatory consequence of being convicted.
It is lenient towards the first-time offenders, and focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment. For traffickers and dealers, there are no changes in the strict penalties.
Judges will now use their discretion whether the defendant is allowed to stay in the country. If a judge punishes the convict with deportation, the offender can now challenge the verdict and seek for return to the country by submitting a request.
A number of people have sought for return and allowed entry into the UAE.
How can a convict ask for appeal against deportation? The person will have to hire a UAE-based defence lawyer who would submit a request to the court.
After the petition is filed, the appeal will be taken up by a judge. If the ruling is in favour of the defendant, the deportation order will be quashed.