New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs announced on Thursday that the sentences of eight former Indian Navy personnel, currently on death row in Qatar, have been reduced. The MEA stated that the Court of Appeal of Qatar made this decision in the Dahra Global case, though it did not provide specific details on the court’s ruling.
“We have noted the verdict today of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced…The detailed judgment is awaited,” said the MEA in a statement.
India’s Ambassador to Qatar, along with officials and family members of the incarcerated ex-Navy personnel, were present in the Court of Appeal during the announcement. The MEA emphasized its ongoing support for the individuals involved, stating, “We have stood by them since the beginning of the matter and will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also continue to take up the matter with the Qatari authorities.”
In October, a Qatari court had initially sentenced the eight former Navy personnel to death after over a year of detention. Among those detained were decorated officers who had commanded major Indian warships. The individuals were employed by Qatar’s Al Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private firm offering training services to Qatar’s armed forces and security agencies. Despite rejected bail pleas and extended detention, New Delhi had expressed deep shock at the death penalty. Anonymous sources had previously indicated that the charges against the eight men included espionage.
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