Death Sentence Of 8 Indians Commuted By Qatar Court, Says MEA

In the case of Indians in Qatari Custody, the Court of Appeal of Qatar has announced its verdict in the Dahra Global case, where the sentences of the accused have been lowered.

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) welcomed the verdict of the Court of Appeal of Qatar on Thursday, which commuted the death penalty of eight former Indian naval officers to prison terms. The eight Indians were arrested last year in the Dahra Global case, a complex legal dispute involving allegations of espionage and sabotage on a submarine programme.

The MEA said that the detailed judgement of the Court of Appeal is yet to be released and that it is in close touch with the legal team and the family members of the accused to decide on the next steps. “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 MEA said in a statement.

The MEA added that due to the confidential and sensitive nature of the case proceedings, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture.

The Dahra Global case has been going on for several years and has drawn international attention. The eight Indian nationals, who were working for a Qatari company, were sentenced to death by the Court of First Instance of Qatar on charges that have not yet been made public officially. The retired naval personnel have maintained their innocence and appealed against the verdict.

Earlier this month, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi informed that two hearings have taken place in the case. “There have been two hearings. We filed an appeal, with the families, and the detainees had a final appeal. Two hearings have since been held. One was on November 30th and the other was on November 23rd. I think the next hearing is coming up soon,” Bagchi said.

The MEA spokesperson also highlighted the recent meeting that took place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai. He said that they had a good conversation on the overall bilateral relationship and the well-being of the Indian community living in Qatar.