LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1840
TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.07.2019

INDIAN PRISONERS IN UAE

†1840. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the maximum number of Indians imprisoned abroad are in Gulf Countries and if so, the details thereof, country-wise;

(b) whether an agreement was signed between Indian and United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the year 2011 to allow Indian Prisoners in UAE to serve their remaining jail terms in India;

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons as to why benefit of the said agreement has not been provided to any Indian Prisoners so far;

(d) whether the Government proposes to take steps for strict compliance of agreements signed for the purpose between the two countries; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) Yes. As per the information available with the Ministry, as on 31.05.2019, out of a total of 8189 Indian prisoners in foreign countries, 4206 are imprisoned in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC], in which around 9 million Indian nationals are residing. The number of Indian prisoners in each of these six countries is as follows:

S. No.	Name of Country	No. of Indian prisoners
1.	Saudi Arabia	1811
2.	United Arab Emirates	1392
3.	Kuwait	511
4.	Qatar	257
5.	Bahrain	134
6.	Oman	101
	TOTAL	4206

 

(b) to (e) Yes. India and UAE signed an agreement in 2011 on Transfer of Sentenced Persons, which came into force in March 2013. The agreement includes, inter-alia, its General Principles; conditions for transfer of prisoners; and obligations to furnish information, among other provisions. Till date, no Indian prisoner from UAE has been transferred to India under this Agreement. In October 2018, the Government had received a proposal from the Consulate General of India, Dubai about the transfer of 77 Indian prisoners to India under this Agreement, to serve the remainder of their sentences in India. The proposal is being processed by the authorities concerned in UAE and India in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons between India and UAE.