Indian Cabinet Approves Pact with Somalia on Detainees 

Indian Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for signing and succeeding in ratifying the agreement for transfer of persons with jail terms between India and Somalia.

“Signing the agreement with Somalia shall facilitate the Indian prisoners imprisoned in Somalia or vice-versa to be near to their families, for serving remaining part of their sentence and shall facilitate their social rehabilitation,” an official release said.

Up to now India signed a bilateral agreement for sentenced persons with several countries chiefly among them United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Turkey to name but few.

Before 2004, there was no local legislation under which alien prisoners could be transferred to their motherland in order to serve the remaining part of their sentence and vice versa for Indian nationals in overseas prisons.

“The transfer of such prisoners to their own native countries shall facilitate their social rehabilitation,” the document added.