Parliament session: The government told Parliament on Thursday (March 20, 2025) that the number of Indian citizens who have been sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates is 25, but the decision has not yet been implemented. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh gave this information to the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question.
The Ministry of External Affairs was asked whether many Indians have been lodged in jails for years abroad? Along with this, details of those Indians have also been asked who are waiting for the death penalty abroad and what efforts have been made by the Government of India to save their lives. Singh said, “According to the information available with the ministry, the number of Indian prisoners including the prisoners under consideration in foreign jails is 10,152.”
Government presented data in Parliament
The minister said that the government gives high priority to the safety, safety and welfare of Indian citizens in foreign jails. Singh shared a tabular figure related to eight countries and also stated the number of Indian citizens who have been given the death penalty, but the decision has not yet been implemented. According to the data, it has been sentenced to death 25 Indians in the United Arab Emirates, 11 Indians in Saudi Arabia, six Indians in Malaysia, three Indians in Kuwait and one Indian in Indonesia, Qatar, America and Yemen.
‘Indians have all possible help’
He said, “Indian missions/posts abroad provide all possible assistance to Indian citizens, who have been sentenced by foreign courts with death penalty. Indians also visit missions/post jails and provide access to counseling and follow their cases with courts, jail, public prosecutors and other concerned agencies. Indian citizens in jail are also assisted in searching various legal measures including appeal, mercy petition etc.
No one got death sentence from 2020 to 2024
The Ministry of External Affairs was also asked whether an Indian has been given death penalty in foreign countries in the last five years? Singh said that such punishment has been given in Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He said that in 2024, three Indian citizens were given death penalty in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. This figure was one in Zimbabwe. In 2023, five Indians were given death penalty in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, while an Indian was given death penalty in Malaysia.
He said that there is no data available in the United Arab Emirates as the authorities have not shared this there. According to him, according to the informal information available with the Indian mission, no Indian has been given death penalty from 2020 to 2024.
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