Lok Sabha Question No. 1324 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-25
Subject: Indians in Foreign Jails
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: VEENA DEVI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1324

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2018

## INDIANS IN FOREIGN JAILS

## †1324.     SHRIMATI VEENA DEVI:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a large number of Indians are languishing in various jails of foreign countries;
- (b) if so, the facts in this regard along with the number of Indians being kept as captive in these jails and the names of the respective countries where they have been lodged;
- (c) whether the Government has made efforts during the past years to get such prisoners freed from jails; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the amount spent for the purpose from March 2015 to March 2018?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) & (b) As per information available with the Ministry, as of 20.07.2018, 7737 Indians are in various jails of foreign countries.  Country-wise details are at Annexure.  Due to the strict provisions of privacy laws, some countries do not readily share information about Indian nationals in their jails.
- (c) & (d) In those cases where Indian nationals complete their sentences and   are   waiting   for   completion   of   deportation   formalities,   Indian Missions/Posts   in   those   countries   take   up   with   the   respective   foreign governments for speeding up the process including issue of final Exit Visas, waiver of penalties imposed on Indian workers, etc. from the concerned authorities and for the early return of the Indian nationals to India. Where required,   the   Indian   Missions   and   Posts   abroad   also   provide   airfare   for facilitating   the   return   of   the   Indian   prisoners   who   have   completed   their sentence. An amount of Rs.2,72,24,969 was spent as assistance during the period from March 2015 to March 2018 in this regard.

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## ANNEXURE

|   S. No. | Country     | Number of Indian held as Captive in Jails   | Amount spent by the Government to freed prisoners from Jails.(INR)   |
|----------|-------------|---------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Afghanistan | 1                                           | N.A.                                                                 |
|        2 | Algeria     | NIL                                         | N.A.                                                                 |
|        3 | Argentina   | NIL                                         | N.A.                                                                 |
|        4 | Armenia     | 5                                           | N.A.                                                                 |

| 5     | Australia      | 68   | N.A.       |
|-------|----------------|------|------------|
| 6     | Azerbaijan     | 7    | NIL        |
| 7     | Bahrain        | 95   | 5069143    |
| 8     | Belarus        | 1    | NIL        |
| 9     | Bangladesh     | 24   | 28605      |
| 10    | Belgium        | 19   | N.A.       |
| 11    | Bhutan         | 69   | N.A.       |
| 12    | Botswana       | NIL  | N.A.       |
| 13    | Brazil         | 2    | NIL        |
| 14    | Brunei         | 1    | NIL        |
| 15    | Bulgaria       | NIL  | N.A.       |
| 16    | Cambodia       | 3    | NIL        |
| 17    | Canada         | 70   | N.A.       |
| 18    | Chile          | NIL  | N.A.       |
| 19    | China          | 226  | 149056     |
| 20    | Colombia       | 1    | N.A.       |
| 21    | Congo          | NIL  | N.A.       |
| 22    | Cote D' Ivoire | 3    | N.A.       |
| 23    | Croatia        | NIL  | NIL        |
| 24    | Cuba           | 1    | N.A.       |
| 25    | Cyprus         | 6    | NIL        |
| 26    | Czech Republic | NIL  | N.A.       |
| 27    | Denmark        | 5    | N.A.       |
| 28    | Egypt          | 1    | N.A.       |
| 29    | Ethiopia       | 2    | 10799      |
| 30    | Fiji           | 1    | 524240     |
| 31    | Finland        | 1    | NIL        |
| 32    | France         | 41   | NIL        |
| 33    | Germany        | 51   | NIL        |
| 34    | Ghana          | NIL  | NIL        |
| 35    | Greece         | 27   | 1031698    |
| 36    | Guatemala      | 3    | NIL        |
| 37    | Guyana         | NIL  | 31000      |
| 38    | Hungary        | NIL  | N.A.       |
| 39    | Iceland        | NIL  | NIL        |
| 40    | Indonesia      | 19   | NIL        |
| 41    | Iran           | 6    | 1783751    |
| 42    | Iraq           | 2    | 340053     |
| 43    | Ireland        | NIL  | NIL        |
| 44    | Israel         | 4    | N.A.       |
| 45    | Italy          | 225  | N.A.       |
| 46    | Jamaica        | NIL  | N.A.       |
| 47 48 | Japan Jordan   | 7 23 | NIL 391469 |
| 50    | Kenya          | 3    | NIL        |
| 49    | Kazakhstan     | NIL  | 180392     |

|   51 | Korea (DPR)         | NIL   | N.A.   |
|------|---------------------|-------|--------|
|   52 | Korea (Republic of) | 2     | 689950 |
|   53 | Kuwait              | 484   | NIL    |
|   54 | Kyrgyzstan          | 1     | NIL    |
|   55 | Lao PDR             | 2     | N.A.   |
|   56 | Lebanon             | 1     | N.A.   |
|   57 | Libya               | NIL   | 159579 |
|   58 | Malawi              | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   59 | Malaysia            | 298   | NIL    |
|   60 | Mali                | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   61 | Malta               | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   62 | Mauritius           | 5     | N.A.   |
|   63 | Mexico              | 2     | N.A.   |
|   64 | Morocco             | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   65 | Mongolia            | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   66 | Mozambique          | 5     | NIL    |
|   67 | Myanmar             | 45    | N.A.   |
|   68 | Namibia             | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   69 | Nepal               | 548   | N.A.   |
|   70 | Netherlands         |       |        |
|   71 | New Zealand         | 13    | N.A.   |
|   72 | Niger               | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   73 | Norway              | NIL   | NIL    |
|   74 | Oman                | 71    | 152497 |
|   75 | Pakistan            | 471   | N.A.   |
|   76 | Palestine           | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   77 | Panama              | 1     | NIL    |
|   78 | Papua New Guinea    | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   79 | Philippines         | 19    | NIL    |
|   80 | Poland, Lithuania   | 1     | N.A.   |
|   81 | Portugal            | 9     | N.A.   |
|   82 | Qatar               | 166   | N.A.   |
|   83 | Romania             | 2     | N.A.   |
|   84 | Russian Federation  | 3     | 30983  |
|   85 | Saudi Arabia        | 1575  |        |
|   86 | Senegal             | 2     | 83483  |
|   87 | Seychelles          | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   88 | Singapore           | 132   | N.A.   |
|   89 | Slovak Republic     | 1     | N.A.   |
|   90 | Slovenia Republic   | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   91 | South Africa        | 3     | N.A.   |
|   92 | Spain               | 34    | N.A.   |
|   93 | Sri Lanka           | 43    | 2118   |
|   94 | Sudan               | 3     | N.A.   |
|   95 | Suriname            | NIL   | N.A.   |
|   96 | Sweden              | NIL   | N.A.   |

| 97   | Switzerland          | 1    | N.A.     |
|------|----------------------|------|----------|
| 98   | Syria                | 4    | 74103    |
| 99   | Tajikistan           | NIL  | N.A.     |
| 100  | Tanzania             | 1    | NIL      |
| 101  | Thailand             | 44   | 583674   |
| 102  | Trinidad &Tobago     | NIL  | N.A.     |
| 103  | Tunisia              | NIL  | NIL      |
| 104  | Turkey               | 2    | NIL      |
| 105  | Turkmenistan         | NIL  | N.A.     |
| 106  | Uganda               | 1    | N.A.     |
| 107  | United Arab Emirates | 1690 | 15793808 |
| 108  | United Kingdom       | 378  | N.A.     |
| 109  | Ukraine              | 1    | N.A.     |
| 110  | U.S.A                | 647  | 14568    |
| 111  | Uzbekistan           | 1    | N.A.     |
| 112  | Venezuela            | NIL  | N.A.     |
| 113  | Vietnam              | 1    | N.A.     |
| 114  | Zambia               | NIL  | NIL      |
| 115  | Zimbabwe             | 1    | NIL      |
|      | TOTAL                | 7737 | 27124969 |

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