25 Indians awarded death sentence in UAE, 10150 lodged in foreign jails: Centre

25 Indians awarded death sentence in UAE, 10150 lodged in foreign jails: Centre

The number of Indian nationals who have been awarded a death sentence in the UAE, but the judgement is yet to be implemented, stands at 25, the government informed Parliament on Thursday. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha. 

According to the government, over 10,000 Indians are presently serving in foreign jails and 49 among them are on death row in different countries, the government said. 

The Ministry of External Affairs was asked whether many Indians are languishing in prison for years in foreign countries, as also details of Indians who are awaiting capital punishment in foreign countries, and efforts made by the Indian government to save their lives. Singh shared tabulated data pertaining to eight countries, and the number of Indian nationals who have been awarded death sentence, but the judgement is yet to be implemented. According to data, the figures stand as 25 (UAE), 11 (Saudi Arabia), six (Malaysia), three (Kuwait), and one each for Indonesia, Qatar, the US, and Yemen. 

“Indian Missions/Posts abroad provide all possible assistance to Indian nationals who have been sentenced, including with death sentences by the foreign courts. Indian Missions/Posts also provide consular access by visiting the jails and follows up their cases with Courts, Jails, Public Prosecutors and other concerned agencies. The jailed Indian nationals are also assisted in exploring various legal remedies including filing of appeal, mercy petition etc,” the minister said. 

The MEA was also asked whether any Indian has been executed or given capital punishment in foreign countries in the last five years. The minister said such deaths were carried out in Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. 

The number of Indian citizens executed or given capital punishment in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in 2024 stood at three each, while the corresponding figure for Zimbabwe was one. In 2023, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia executed five Indians each, Malaysia one. 

“No data available as the same is not shared by the UAE authorities. As per the informal information available with the Mission, no Indians have been executed from 2020 to 2024,” data for UAE revealed. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)