Indian prisoner dies in Pakistan a week before repatriation

Subject: International Relations

Section: International Convention

Concept :

An Indian prisoner, who was to be repatriated next week, died in a hospital in Karachi, civil society activists revealed on Sunday.
The deceased, Zulfiqar, was expected to enter India along with 199 fishermen set to be released by Pakistan.

Agreement on Consular Access

In 2008, India and Pakistan signed the Agreement on Consular Access.
Section 4 of the agreement states that the governments of both nations would provide consular access. This has to be provided within three months to citizens of another country, under arrest, detention, or imprisonment in the other country.
Section 5 of the agreement provides that within one month of confirmation of the national status and completion of sentences both governments should release and return people.

Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963.

The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations is an international treaty that defines consular relations between independent states.
A consul, (who is not a diplomat) is a representative of a foreign state in a host country, who works for the interests of his countrymen.
Article 36 of the Vienna Convention states that foreign nationals who are arrested or detained in the host country must be given notice without delay of their right to have their embassy or consulate notified of that arrest.
If the detained foreign national so requests, the police must fax that notice to the embassy or consulate, which can then verify the person.
The notice to the consulate can be as simple as a fax, giving the person’s name, the place of arrest, and, if possible, something about the reason for the arrest or detention.