Lok Sabha Question No. 4708 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-24
Subject: Indians in Foreign Jails
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Meenakashi Lekhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.4708 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.03.2021

## INDIANS IN FOREIGN JAILS

4708. SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of Indians in foreign jails, country wise;
- (b) whether any of these Indians were infected with COVID-19 in prisons and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the measures being taken by the Government to provide assistance to these Indians; and
- (d) the number of prisoners exchanged by India with foreign countries through 'The Repatriation of Prisoners' Act?

(a) As per the information available with the Ministry, the number of Indian prisoners in foreign jails as of 28.02.2021 is 7890, which also includes under-trials. Country-wise list is given at Annexure.

(b) Details about the number of Indian prisoners who were infected with COVID-19 is not available with the Ministry as due to strong privacy laws prevailing in many countries the local authorities do not share information on prisoners unless the person concerned consents to the disclosure of such   information.   Even   countries   which   share   information,   do   not generally   provide   detailed   information   about   the   people   of   foreign countries imprisoned.

(c) Indian Missions/Posts abroad remain vigilant and closely monitor the incidents   of   Indian   nationals   being   put   in   jail   in   foreign   countries   for violation   of   local   laws   or   alleged   violation   of   local   laws.   Apart   from extending them all possible consular assistance, Indian Missions and Posts also assist in providing legal aid wherever needed.   Missions and Posts also  maintain a local panel of lawyers where Indian community is in sizeable numbers.

There is a regular process of consultation and coordination with countries concerned on the issue of repatriation of Indian nationals in foreign   prisons   including   in   the   context   of   bilateral   agreements   for Transfer of Sentenced Persons (TSP).

In addition, the Government through its Missions/Posts abroad also takes up and pursues grant of amnesty / commutation of sentences of Indian prisoners in foreign countries.

(d) 81 prisoners, including 73 Indian prisoners, have been transferred to their country of nationality under the Repatriation of Prisoners Act, 2003 to serve the remainder of their sentence.

***

| Annexure   | Annexure          | Annexure                                              |
|------------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No       | Country           | Number of Indi- ans in Foreign Jails as on 28.02.2021 |
| 1          | Afghanistan       | 0                                                     |
| 2          | Algeria           | 0                                                     |
| 3          | Angola            | 0                                                     |
| 4          | Argentina         | 0                                                     |
| 5          | Armenia           | 1                                                     |
| 6          | Austria           | 5                                                     |
| 7          | Australia         | 62                                                    |
| 8          | Azerbaijan        | 3                                                     |
| 9          | Bahrain           | 178                                                   |
| 10         | Barbados          | 0                                                     |
| 11         | Belarus           | 2                                                     |
| 12         | Bangladesh        | 123                                                   |
| 13         | Belgium           | 12                                                    |
| 14         | Bhutan            | 91                                                    |
| 15         | Botswana          | 1                                                     |
| 16         | Brazil            | 0                                                     |
| 17         | Brunei            | 3                                                     |
| 18         | Bulgaria          | 0                                                     |
| 19         | Burkina Faso      | 0                                                     |
| 20         | Cambodia          | 6                                                     |
| 21         | Cameroon          | 0                                                     |
| 22         | Canada            | 23                                                    |
| 23         | Chile             | 1                                                     |
| 24         | China             | 157                                                   |
| 25         | Congo             | 3                                                     |
| 26         | Colombia          | 1                                                     |
| 27         | Costa Rica        | 0                                                     |
| 28         | Cote D' Ivoire    | 2                                                     |
| 29         | Croatia           | 0                                                     |
| 30         | Cuba              | 1                                                     |
| 31         | Cyprus            | 23                                                    |
| 32         | Czech Republic    | 0                                                     |
| 33         | Denmark           | 4                                                     |
| 34         | Djibouti          | 1                                                     |
| 35         | Egypt             | 2                                                     |
| 36         | Equador           | 3                                                     |
| 37         | Equatorial Guinea | 0                                                     |
| 38         | Eritrea           | 0                                                     |

|   40 | Ethiopia            | 0   |
|------|---------------------|-----|
|   41 | Fiji                | 1   |
|   42 | Finland             | 0   |
|   43 | France              | 35  |
|   44 | Georgia             | 3   |
|   45 | Germany             | 98  |
|   46 | Ghana               | 1   |
|   47 | Greece              | 22  |
|   48 | Guatemala           | 2   |
|   49 | Guinea              | 0   |
|   50 | Guyana              | 0   |
|   51 | Hungary             | 1   |
|   52 | Iceland             | 0   |
|   53 | Indonesia           | 20  |
|   54 | Iran                | 70  |
|   55 | Iraq                | 0   |
|   56 | Ireland             | 1   |
|   57 | Israel              | 1   |
|   58 | Italy               | 221 |
|   59 | Jamaica             | 0   |
|   60 | Japan               | 8   |
|   61 | Jordan              | 9   |
|   62 | Kazakhstan          | 0   |
|   63 | Kenya               | 1   |
|   64 | Korea (DPR)         | 0   |
|   65 | Korea (Republic of) | 4   |
|   66 | Kuwait              | 460 |
|   67 | Kyrgyzstan          | 1   |
|   68 | Laos PDR            | 2   |
|   69 | Latvia              | 0   |
|   70 | Lebanon             | 3   |
|   71 | Liberia             | 1   |
|   72 | Madagascar          | 1   |
|   73 | Malawi              | NA  |
|   74 | Malaysia            | 409 |
|   75 | Maldives            | 24  |
|   76 | Mali                | 0   |
|   77 | Malta               | 0   |
|   78 | Mauritius           | 4   |
|   79 | Mexico              | 1   |
|   80 | Morocco             | 2   |
|   81 | Mongolia            | 0   |
|   82 | Mozambique          | 6   |
|   83 | Myanmar             | 65  |
|   84 | Namibia             | 0   |
|   85 | Nepal               | 886 |

|   86 | Netherlands              |    0 |
|------|--------------------------|------|
|   87 | New Zealand              |   13 |
|   88 | Nicaragua                |    0 |
|   89 | Niger                    |    0 |
|   90 | Nigeria                  |    0 |
|   91 | Norway                   |    0 |
|   92 | Oman                     |   49 |
|   93 | Pakistan                 |  524 |
|   94 | Palestine                |    0 |
|   95 | Panama                   |    0 |
|   96 | Papua New Guinea         |    0 |
|   97 | Peru                     |    0 |
|   98 | Philippines              |   41 |
|   99 | Poland                   |    9 |
|  100 | Portugal                 |    5 |
|  101 | Qatar                    |  439 |
|  102 | Rwanda                   |    1 |
|  103 | Romania                  |    2 |
|  104 | Russia                   |   10 |
|  105 | Sao Tome and Principe    |    0 |
|  106 | Saudi Arabia             | 1570 |
|  107 | Serbia                   |    1 |
|  108 | Senegal                  |    0 |
|  109 | Seychelles               |    0 |
|  110 | Sierra Leone             |    0 |
|  111 | Singapore                |   71 |
|  112 | Slovakia                 |    1 |
|  113 | Slovenia                 |    0 |
|  114 | South Africa             |    3 |
|  115 | South Sudan              |    0 |
|  116 | Spain                    |   49 |
|  117 | Sri Lanka                |   67 |
|  118 | St. Lucia                |    0 |
|  119 | St. Vincent & Grenadines |    0 |
|  120 | Sudan                    |    0 |
|  121 | Suriname                 |    1 |
|  122 | Swaziland                |    0 |
|  123 | Sweden                   |    2 |
|  124 | Switzerland              |    0 |
|  125 | Syria                    |    0 |
|  126 | Tajikistan               |    0 |
|  127 | Tanzania                 |    1 |
|  128 | Thailand                 |   23 |
|  129 | Togo                     |    0 |
|  130 | Trinidad & Tobago        |    2 |
|  131 | Tunisia                  |    0 |

| 132   | Turkey                   |    0 |
|-------|--------------------------|------|
| 133   | Turkmenistan             |    0 |
| 134   | Uganda                   |    0 |
| 135   | United Arab Emirates     | 1292 |
| 136   | United Kingdom           |  373 |
| 137   | Ukraine                  |    0 |
| 138   | United States of America |  267 |
| 139   | Uzbekistan               |    0 |
| 140   | Venezuela                |    0 |
| 141   | Vietnam                  |    2 |
| 142   | Yemen                    |    1 |
| 143   | Zambia                   |    0 |
| 144   | Zimbabwe                 |    0 |
|       | Total                    | 7890 |

***