Ten Gujarat sailors released from Iran jail after five months

Bhuj, 6 November 2013

Ten sailors from Gujarat detained by Iran Marine Security Agency in May this year are released from an Iranian jail. They reached their native places in Gujarat this week after five months jail.

The sailors thanked Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Parimal Nathwani for making efforts to ensure their release. Nathwani had requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on October 15 to help secure the release of the ten Indian sailors languishing in an Iranian jail since May 23.

The sailors who belong to Mandvi taluka of Kutch district in Gujarat said they were detained by Iran Marine Security Agency on May 23 when their ship ‘Al Hudd’ was seized after straying into Iran’s territorial water.The ship was on its way to Oman from Dubai, when the Iranian security agency alleged that the ship had violated the international maritime boundary. The agency in Iran put them behind bars and seized their ship.

The Iranian agency had also charged the ship which was owned by a Dubai-based businessman Ali Suleman Abdul Raheman.

They said they were produced in a local court in Iran, where a fine of Rs. 41 lakh was imposed on the ship owner – Dubai-based businessman Ali Suleman Abdul Raheman. Besides, each sailor was ordered to pay a Rs. 19,800 fine. The sailors were not allowed by Iranian jail authorities to make international calls and it became for them to convey the news of their detention to their family members in Gujarat. Also, Iranian jail authorities knew only Persian and no other language.

The ten released sailors are Captain Ali Aamad T Madiar, Umar Hussain Thaim, Palin Suleman Madiar, Kasam Mama Karani, Ibrahim Umar Juneja, Siddique Adam Madiar, Hussain Abdul Hamid, Mausin Darun Ruknali, Aasif Mamad Madiar and Aamada Kasam Andhar.