Contradictory reports from Indian embassy regarding the status of
Indian prisoners in Saudi jails.
INDIAN MISSIONS IN SAUDI ARABIA HAVE FULL DETAILS OF INDIAN PRISONERS IN SAUDI JAILS - CLAIMS EMBASSY
The Indian Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Sushma Swaraj has informed M.P.Achuthan, Member of Parliament from Kerala on 14th January 2015, citing reports received from the Riyadh Indian Embassy, that it has been receiving information from the Saudi Authorities relating to arrests, detention of Indian nationals from time to time, regular visits are undertaken by Embassy officials to different jails, deportation centres and police stations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
INDIAN MISSIONS IN SAUDI ARABIA HAVE FULL DETAILS OF INDIAN PRISONERS IN SAUDI JAILS - CLAIMS EMBASSY
The Indian Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Sushma Swaraj has informed M.P.Achuthan, Member of Parliament from Kerala on 14th January 2015, citing reports received from the Riyadh Indian Embassy, that it has been receiving information from the Saudi Authorities relating to arrests, detention of Indian nationals from time to time, regular visits are undertaken by Embassy officials to different jails, deportation centres and police stations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
M.P.Achuthan sought the details to Sushma Swaraj on the basis of a
petition given to him by the New Age India Forum, Riyadh. The New Age
has complained that the Indian Missions in Saudi Arabia has no proper
information about the status of Indian prisoners in Saudi Jails.
The Minister said that India and Saudi Arabia has already signed an agreement on transfer of sentenced persons in 2010. The Embassy also seeks consular access from the Saudi Foreign Ministry to meet Indians detained in various jails to ascertain their welfare, as well as for updated information on number of indian prisoners and status on their release. Additionally the Embassy also receives telephone information on detention and arrest of Indian nationals from the saudi authorities. The embassy has also drawn up an yearly schedule for jail visits by the embassy officials to ascertain the inmates welfare, status regarding the jail terms, progress in the release of the inmates etc.
The Minister further informed that a total of 1516 Indian nationals (922 under the consular jurisdiction of the embassy of india in Riyadh and 594 under the consulate general of india, jeddah's consular jurisdiction) are detained in various jails in saudi arabia.
Meanwhile, on 3rd March 2015, on an answer to a Right to Information query by Mahesh Vijayan, a member of the social activist group in India "Right to Return", the Riyadh Indian Embassy replied that the Saudi authorities are not providing full details of the prisoners despite its continuous efforts to ascertain facts and figures. The information regarding the number of prisoners in Saudi jails is not based on a written document provided by the Saudi authorities, but from "notes verbale" (verbal information from unauthoritative sources) from officials and also from the information gathered by the Embassy officials during their jail visits. This contradictory to the reply given to M.P.Achuthan, Member of Parliament on 14th January 2015.
Prepared by - Murali Ravindran
The Minister said that India and Saudi Arabia has already signed an agreement on transfer of sentenced persons in 2010. The Embassy also seeks consular access from the Saudi Foreign Ministry to meet Indians detained in various jails to ascertain their welfare, as well as for updated information on number of indian prisoners and status on their release. Additionally the Embassy also receives telephone information on detention and arrest of Indian nationals from the saudi authorities. The embassy has also drawn up an yearly schedule for jail visits by the embassy officials to ascertain the inmates welfare, status regarding the jail terms, progress in the release of the inmates etc.
The Minister further informed that a total of 1516 Indian nationals (922 under the consular jurisdiction of the embassy of india in Riyadh and 594 under the consulate general of india, jeddah's consular jurisdiction) are detained in various jails in saudi arabia.
Meanwhile, on 3rd March 2015, on an answer to a Right to Information query by Mahesh Vijayan, a member of the social activist group in India "Right to Return", the Riyadh Indian Embassy replied that the Saudi authorities are not providing full details of the prisoners despite its continuous efforts to ascertain facts and figures. The information regarding the number of prisoners in Saudi jails is not based on a written document provided by the Saudi authorities, but from "notes verbale" (verbal information from unauthoritative sources) from officials and also from the information gathered by the Embassy officials during their jail visits. This contradictory to the reply given to M.P.Achuthan, Member of Parliament on 14th January 2015.
Prepared by - Murali Ravindran
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