NEW DELHI: Putting an end to a four year old humanitarian case, the West African nation of Togo on Wednesday released five Indians who were serving a prison term. The case of these Indians had come to light after an online campaign in 2013 demanded their release.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj broke the news on her Twitter handle and said, “We have secured the release of five Indians from Kerala jailed in Togo. Good work by Indian mission in Accra and Consulate in Togo.”
Official sources at the Ministry of External Affairs said that the five Indians belonging to Kerala, Anthony Godwin, Navin Niravath Gopi, Tharun Babu, Nithin Babu and Shaji Abdulla Kutty were released by a Presidential pardon of Togo.
“The Ministry of External Affairs and High Commission of India in Accra have been making persistent efforts to secure the release of the five Indian prisoners. High Commissioner Spoke to the Indian nationals after their release. The travel arrangements are being made to facilitate their return to India and the air tickets are being organised through Indian Community Welfare Fund. Honourary Consul General of India in Lome is making stay arrangements till the necessary formalities for their departure to India are completed,” an official source said informing that the release came after India asked to Togo to take a humanitarian approach in the case.
The issue was taken up with the Togolese leadership on the sidelines of 3rd India Africa Forum Summit in October 2015. Subsequently, Minister of State for Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre took up the issue during his visit to Togo to participate in the African Union Maritime Summit held in capital Lome in October 2016. Secretary Economic Relations Amar Sinha too had discussed this with Togo separately.
The five men were arrested in July 2013 and kept in a prison in the west African country.
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