Foreign prisoners being detained in Malta have written to President George Abela urging him to intervene to stop the "inhuman and unjust" incarceration of foreign detainees without trial or sentence.

"This inexcusable practice is a classic example of justice delayed being justice denied," the 70 inmates protested in the letter, circulated to the media through the NGO Mid-Dlam Għad-Dawl.

The prisoners appealed to Dr Abela, that as a lawyer, he should be well aware that a person is always innocent in the eyes of the law until proven guilty in the court of law, based on a reasonable time limit.

The inmates said they were referring in particular to the case of Somali Kalif Ahmed Eid, who was accused of importing the plant Khat to Malta. He was tried, found guilty and handed a six-month sentence.

"This could have been a normal situation in any civilised country but the problem in Malta is that he actually spent 34 calendar months in detention before he was tried and sentenced. This is the norm, rather than the exception, with justice in Malta as applied to foreigners."

They suggested that a detainee should be tried within 12 months - and if the accused pleads guilty he must be sentenced immediately.

Anything beyond that was nothing less than mental manipulation and psychological torture, they said.