Five Indian fishermen from Qatar are stranded in Abu Dhabi as the blockade is preventing the Qatari sponsor from paying a fine of QR4,000 for their release, South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF), based in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, said in a statement on Friday.
The fishermen are Jerald Reegan (31), Karol Jahin (26), John Prabhahar (40), Reegan Jeo Gladwin (35) and Jose Stalin (32), all natives of Kadiyapatanam coastal village in Kanyakumari district, SAFF general secretary Fr Churchil, who signed the statement, has explained.
Based on an earlier statement from SAFF, Gulf Times had reported last month that the five fishermen, who sailed from Wakrah in their mechanised launch on August 25, were arrested while engaged in fishing on August 27 by Abu Dhabi Coast Guard.
“On August 29, 2017, one of the detained fishermen, Karol Jahin informed Probin, another Indian fisherman in Qatar, over phone, about their arrest and detention in Abu Dhabi.”
In Friday’s statement Fr Churchil explained that after 65 days of imprisonment, the five fishermen were ordered by a court in Abu Dhabi to pay a fine of QR4,000 and undergo one month imprisonment.
“Though the fishermen have already served the jail term, the Qatari sponsor is unable to transfer QR4,000 to Abu Dhabi due to the blockade against Qatar by other Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain),” he said.
“The families of the fishermen cannot afford to pay the fine in Abu Dhabi court. Therefore SAFF, along with the families of the fishermen, has requested the Government of India and the State of Tamil Nadu to pay the fine for their release,” Fr Churchil added.
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