Lok Sabha Question No. 877 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-07
Subject: Indians in Qatar Jails
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri E T Mohammed Basheer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA Unstarred QUESTION NO- 877 ANSWERED ON- 07/02/2025

INDIANS IN QATAR JAILS

## 877 SHRI E T MOHAMMED BASHEER

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-

(a) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that a large number of Indians especially people from Kerala are boarded in jails in Qatar after the FIFA Worldcup;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government ensure their to release and return back to India; and

(c) the details of Indians who are behind bars in different countries as on date?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) As per the information available with the Ministry, the number of Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in Qatari jails is 611. However, due to strong privacy laws, Government of Qatar does not share information on prisoners unless the person concerned consents to the disclosure of such information. Therefore, State-wise data of Indian Prisoners is not available. Moreover, Government has not noticed any abnormal increase in number of Indian prisoners in Qatari jails after the World Cup.

(b) The Government attaches high priority to the safety, security and well-being   of   Indians   in   foreign   countries,   including   those   in   the foreign jails. Indian Missions/Posts abroad remain vigilant and closely monitor the incidents of Indian nationals being put in jail in foreign countries for violation/ alleged violation of local laws.

As soon as the information about the detention/arrest of an Indian national is received by an Indian Mission/Post, it immediately gets in

touch   with   the   local   Foreign   Office   and   other   concerned   local authorities   to   get   consular   access   to   the   detained/arrested   Indian national to ascertain the facts of the case, confirm his or her Indian nationality   and   ensure   his   or   her   welfare.   Missions/Posts   remain vigilant to ensure that rights of the Indian prisoners in foreign jails are protected.

Apart   from   extending   all   possible   consular   assistance   to   Indians imprisoned abroad, 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. No fee is charged from any Indian prisoner for extending facilities by the Indian   Embassy   concerned.   The   Indian   Community   Welfare   Fund (ICWF)  is   set   up   in   Indian   Missions   &   Posts   abroad   for   assisting overseas Indian nationals in distress situations on a means tested basis in deserving cases. The support extended under ICWF includes financial assistance to Indian prisoners for legal aid as well as travel documents / air tickets during repatriation.

The issue of release and repatriation of Indian nationals in foreign prisons is regularly pursued by Indian Missions and Posts abroad with

the local authorities concerned. Missions/Posts abroad also approach the   law   enforcement   agencies   to   complete   the   investigation   and judicial   proceedings at  the   earliest   possible.   The   Government   also follows up this issue during consular and other consultations with other countries. In addition, the Government,   through   its Missions/Posts abroad and during high level visits, also takes up and pursues   grant   of   amnesty/commutation   of   sentences   of   Indian prisoners in foreign countries. India has also entered into prisoner transfer treaties with many nations that allow a person convicted of a crime to be transferred to his or her home country to serve the prison sentence.

(c) As per the information available with the Ministry, the number of Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in foreign prisons at present is 10,152. Country-wise list is placed at Annexure.

*****

## Annexure

|   Sr. No. | Country           |   Total number of Indians under trail and convicted in Foreign Jails at present |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Afghanistan       |                                                                               8 |
|         2 | Angola            |                                                                               2 |
|         3 | Argentina         |                                                                               1 |
|         4 | Armenia           |                                                                              39 |
|         5 | Australia         |                                                                              27 |
|         6 | Azerbaijan        |                                                                              10 |
|         7 | Bahrain           |                                                                             181 |
|         8 | Bangladesh        |                                                                               4 |
|         9 | Belarus           |                                                                               9 |
|        10 | Belgium           |                                                                               1 |
|        11 | Bhutan            |                                                                              69 |
|        12 | Brunei Darussalam |                                                                               6 |
|        13 | Cambodia          |                                                                              22 |
|        14 | Canada            |                                                                              23 |
|        15 | Chile             |                                                                               1 |
|        16 | China             |                                                                             173 |
|        17 | Congo             |                                                                               5 |
|        18 | Cote d' Ivoire    |                                                                              14 |
|        19 | Croatia           |                                                                               3 |
|        20 | Cuba              |                                                                               2 |
|        21 | Cyprus            |                                                                              21 |
|        22 | Denmark           |                                                                               1 |
|        23 | Egypt             |                                                                               1 |
|        24 | Ethiopia          |                                                                               4 |
|        25 | France            |                                                                              45 |
|        26 | Georgia           |                                                                              45 |
|        27 | Germany           |                                                                              25 |
|        28 | Guatemala         |                                                                               2 |
|        29 | Guinea            |                                                                               2 |
|        30 | Indonesia         |                                                                              21 |
|        31 | Iran              |                                                                              18 |
|        32 | Iraq              |                                                                               1 |

|   33 | Ireland           |    5 |
|------|-------------------|------|
|   34 | Israel            |    4 |
|   35 | Italy             |  168 |
|   36 | Jamaica           |    1 |
|   37 | Japan             |    6 |
|   38 | Jordan            |   28 |
|   39 | Kazakhstan        |    3 |
|   40 | Kenya             |    4 |
|   41 | Kuwait            |  387 |
|   42 | Kyrgyzstan        |    4 |
|   43 | Laos              |    6 |
|   44 | Lenbanon          |    2 |
|   45 | Lithuania         |    1 |
|   46 | Madagascar        |    1 |
|   47 | Malawi            |    1 |
|   48 | Malaysia          |  338 |
|   49 | Maldives          |   10 |
|   50 | Mali              |    1 |
|   51 | Malta             |    5 |
|   52 | Mauritius         |   10 |
|   53 | Mexico            |    1 |
|   54 | Morocco           |    2 |
|   55 | Mozambique        |    5 |
|   56 | Myanmar           |   27 |
|   57 | Nepal             | 1317 |
|   58 | Nigeria           |    3 |
|   59 | North Macedonia   |    5 |
|   60 | Oman              |  148 |
|   61 | Pakistan          |  266 |
|   62 | Philippines       |   44 |
|   63 | Poland            |    7 |
|   64 | Qatar             |  611 |
|   65 | Republic of Korea |    4 |
|   66 | Russia            |   27 |
|   67 | Rwanda            |    3 |
|   68 | Saudi Arabia      | 2633 |

| 69   | Senegal             |     5 |
|------|---------------------|-------|
| 70   | Serbia              |     4 |
| 71   | Singapore           |    92 |
| 72   | South Africa        |     8 |
| 73   | Spain               |    34 |
| 74   | Sri Lanka           |    98 |
| 75   | Switzerland         |     1 |
| 76   | Tajikistan          |     1 |
| 77   | Thailand            |    37 |
| 78   | Trinidad and Tobago |     1 |
| 79   | Turkiye             |     3 |
| 80   | UAE                 |  2518 |
| 81   | Uganda              |    11 |
| 82   | United Kingdom      |   288 |
| 83   | USA                 |   169 |
| 84   | Uzbekistan          |     3 |
| 85   | Vietnam             |     4 |
| 86   | Zimbabwe            |     1 |
|      |                     | 10152 |

*****