Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Transport

"The EU follows the situation of Estonian and British nationals, condemned to five years in prison by Tamil Nadu Court in close contact with Estonian and UK authorities, as it concerns the protection of EU citizens," the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy and vice-president of the Commission said.

She said the EU supports the Estonian government's efforts to find a bilateral solution with the Indian government on the basis of the agreement on transfer of sentenced persons.

Mogherini recalled that this case has been raised several times by the EU with Indian interlocutors over the last months; the last time at the 13th EU–India Summit held in Brussels on March 30, 2016.

"As stated in the EU-India Summit joint statement, the EU hopes for a swift solution, through the due process of law in India in the case of MV Seaman Guard Ohio," she said.

Paet, former longtime foreign minister of Estonia, asked to what extent and in what way was the release of the Estonian and British citizens held in India discussed at the EU-India summit that took place at the end of March.

He also asked what has the EU done to free our citizens, not least in the light of the position of the European Parliament, which has urged India to let the ship guards go home to their families, and what steps will be taken next in relation to India to ensure that the Estonian and British citizens can return home.

Police in India's southernmost state Tamil Nadu on Oct. 18, 2013 arrested 35 crew and security personnel on board the anti-piracy vessel Seaman Guard Ohio, including 14 Estonian citizens alongside Britons, Ukrainians and Indians. They were charged in December of the same year with illegal refueling, illegal handling of firearms and illegal entry into territorial waters, and released on bail in April 2014.

After being handled in various court instances the case was returned by India's Supreme Court to the Tuticorin magistrate court, which on Jan. 11 this year sentenced the men to five years' imprisonment. At the end of January the ship guards decided to appeal the verdict and applied for bail. The bail application was rejected on Feb. 29 and the next appeal hearing has been set for June 1.