The News Freedom
New Delhi, December 28
In a diplomatic win for India, Qatar’s appeals court commuted the death sentences of eight former Indian navy officers detained since August 2022. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the reduced sentence.
” 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 Ministry said in a statement, expressing continued support for the officers and their families. “We will evaluate the judgment and determine further steps in close consultation with our legal team and the families,” the Ministry further said.
“We will evaluate the judgment and determine further steps in close consultation with our legal team and the families. Our Ambassador to Qatar and other officials were present in the court of appeal today, along with the family members. We have stood by them since the beginning of the matter and we will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also continue to take up the matter with the Qatari authorities,” the Ministry further said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held their first in-person meeting since the October sentencing of eight former Indian navy officers in Doha on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit in Dubai on December 1, , sources familiar with the matter said. Details of the discussion remain confidential, but sources indicated the leaders focused on strengthening bilateral ties and the “welfare of the Indian community” in Qatar.
The officers, working for a private firm in Qatar, were initially sentenced to death in October on unspecified charges. India had vehemently denied any wrongdoing and deployed extensive diplomatic efforts to secure their release.
Details of the commuted sentences and potential release date remain unclear. The Ministry, citing the case’s sensitivity, offered no further specifics beyond pledging continued support and engagement with Qatari authorities.
Key highlights
- November 9, 2023: MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi confirmed an appeal was filed against the initial death sentence, noting the court document’s confidentiality and ongoing legal and consular support.
- October 30, 2023: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with families of the detained officers.
- October 26, 2023: The Qatari court initially sentenced the officers to death, though specific charges remained undisclosed. The officers, identified in media reports as Captains Navtej Singh Gill and Saurabh Vasisht, Commanders Purenendu Tiwari, Birendra Kumar Verma, Sugunakar Pakala, Sanjeev Gupta, and Amit Nagpal, and Sailor Ragesh, reportedly worked for Dahra Global, a company training Qatari naval personnel.
- August 2022: Qatari authorities detained the officers, accused of espionage related to Qatar’s acquisition of advanced submarines.