Saudi Arabia is yet to free hundreds of Indian prisoners languishing in its jails, sources said on Thursday. The confirmation came weeks after the Kingdom executed two Indians accused of murder.
“The Kingdom is in the midst of a process and after its completion, a royal decree will be issued that will set the Indian prisoners free,” said a source.
The decision to free a part of the Indians in Saudi jails was conveyed to New Delhi during the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in February. At the end of the visit, the dignitary had taken a decision to free 850 Indians in Saudi prisons. However, within days, the two men from Punjab were given the capital punishment, an RTI inquiry has revealed.
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Saudi Arabia had announced a similar move of amnesty for Pakistani prisoners serving sentences in the Kingdom.
Riyadh executed Satwinder Kumar of Hoshiarpur and Harjeet Singh of Ludhiana, accused of murdering a fellow Indian.
Sources said the Indian embassy was allowed consular access to the men though the Saudis did not keep the Indian side informed of all the decisions regarding the case. The beheadings have drawn strong response from Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh who termed them “barbaric” and accused the government of inadequate response.
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