Emir of Kuwait releases 22 Indian prisoners; commutes sentences of 97

The list containing the names of 119 Indians is addition to the 15 Indian prisoners whose death sentences were recently commuted to life imprisonment.

Image: Emir of Kuwait Sabah Al-Sabah (AP/File)

Dubai: The Emir of Kuwait Sabah Al-Sabah has freed 22 Indian prisoners and commuted the sentences of 97 others lodged in the Arab country's jails, according to India's Embassy in Kuwait City. The list containing the names of 119 Indians is addition to the 15 Indian prisoners whose death sentences were recently commuted to life imprisonment. The Indian prisoners in Kuwait covered by the Amiri pardon include 22 people who have been ordered to be released immediately, Embassy of India in Kuwait City said in a statement. Sentences of 53 Indians have been reduced from life imprisonment to 20 years, it said. The Emir of Kuwait has ordered a reduction of three quarters of the sentence of 18 Indians, a reduction of half period of the sentences of 25 and one quarter of the sentence of one, the statement said. The charges in most of the cases involved narcotics, drugs trading or consumption, theft, robbery and fraud among others. All the 15 prisoners whose death sentences have been converted to life imprisonment were convicted in drug-related charges, said the statement. The Indian mission said that it would provide all possible assistance for their travel to India after their release or completion of sentences. Efforts were also being made to help those Indian prisoners who have given their consent to spend rest of their sentence period in India. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj thanked the Emir of Kuwait after the death sentences of 15 Indians, lodged in Kuwaiti jails, were commuted to life imprisonment.

HH the Emir of Kuwait has been pleased to commute the sentence of 15 Indian nationals from death to life imprisonment. /1

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 30, 2017

HH the Emir has further directed the reduction in sentence of 119 Indian nationals. /2 — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 30, 2017