Detention in India: Foreign Ministry demands consular access to Ukrainian citizens
The Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of India has once again appealed to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, demanding access to the detained Ukrainian citizens.
According to Censor.NET, this is stated in the response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to a request from journalists, citing Ukrinform.
The Foreign Ministry emphasizes that the Ukrainian side insists on an open, objective, and fair consideration of the case. Kyiv also demands that Ukrainian diplomats be properly involved in the process.
Ukraine is demanding access for its consuls
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, despite repeated requests, Ukrainian consuls have still not been granted permission to visit the detained citizens. In light of this, on March 18, the Ukrainian Embassy in India sent another official note.
"Today, March 18, the Ukrainian Embassy in India once again sent an official note to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs demanding immediate and unimpeded access for consular officials to Ukrainian citizens," the press service reported.
The Ukrainian side emphasizes that the lack of access violates international consular practice and hinders the protection of detainees' rights.
The circumstances surrounding the detention of the Ukrainians
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, six Ukrainian citizens were detained on March 13 in India. They are suspected of staying in the border state without authorization and of possibly crossing the border with Myanmar illegally.
The court hearing in the case took place on March 16. Representatives of the Ukrainian embassy were present, but they were not allowed to speak directly with the detainees. The court ruled to extend their detention until March 27.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that the Ukrainian side had not been officially notified of the detention of the citizens, which constitutes a departure from established international practice.
Ukrainian Ambassador to India Oleksandr Polischuk met with India’s Deputy Minister of External Affairs and presented a note of protest. Ukraine demands the immediate release of its citizens or full access to them and a fair trial.
- Earlier, the Indian Express reported that law enforcement officials had detained six Ukrainian citizens and one American, who are suspected of illegally importing large shipments of drones. According to the Indian investigation, the U.S. citizen was detained at the Kolkata airport, while the Ukrainians were detained in Lucknow and Delhi. Investigators claim that all of them entered the country with valid visas but later allegedly traveled to restricted areas without the necessary permits.
- Law enforcement officials also claim that the suspects may have crossed the border into Myanmar and made contact with groups that India considers hostile. They are accused of illegally importing drones from Europe, training local residents, and preparing for possible sabotage operations.
-
However, the Ukrainian side urges against jumping to conclusions.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that there is currently no confirmed evidence of the detainees’ guilt, and that some of the information in the media is misleading.
