Eighteen Nepali prisoners have been staging a hunger strike in a Saudi Arabia jail since last week in protest of the delay by the jail authorities to release them despite completing their prison terms.

According to the Embassy of Nepal in Riyadh, Sarad Timsina, Lilam Bhujel, Bhakti BK, Dom Prasad Baniya, Arun Kumar Mandal, Ashok Kumar Panthi and others are on fast at Jubail jail to press Saudi authorities for their release. The embassy said most of them have though agreed to take food, three refused to eat anything. The mission, however, is yet to identify all of them and their addresses in Nepal.

Most of them were sent to jail for drinking alcohol, teasing or having affairs with women, changing jobs without the consent of their employers and urinating at public places, the embassy said. Forty-three Nepalis have been doing time only in Jubail prison.

Harish Chandra Ghimire, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Nepal in Riyadh, said as per Saudi rules, the local court has to be notified first about those who have completed their sentences for the court to issue its clearance for their release. “Given the delay in such process, they started hunger strike along with other foreign inmates,” he told THT.

“When I enquired the jailer about the delay in releasing Nepali inmates, he assured that they would be freed as soon as the court completes the due process,” Ghimire said.

Saudi Arabia hosts the highest number of Nepali migrant workers — around six lakhs. According to the embassy, currently, 150 Nepalis are doing time in different Saudi prisons on various charges. “Once they are out of jail after completing their sentences, we will help them return home by issuing travel documents and other required papers,” Ghimire said.

Published on: 15 September 2013 | The Himalayan Times