New Delhi: The Court of Appeal in Qatar has commuted the death sentences handed down to eight Indian Navy veterans earlier this year, the Ministry of External Affairs said Thursday.
In a statement, the ministry said it had noted the verdict in the Dahra Global case “in which the sentences have been reduced”.
Government sources familiar with the matter told ThePrint that some have now been given life sentences, while others have got reduced terms. The exact details will become clear once the detailed verdict is made available, they said.
“The detailed judgement is awaited. We are in close touch with the legal team as well as the family members to decide on the next steps,” the ministry statement read.
The former Navy men were sentenced to death on 26 October by the Court of First Instance in Qatar, a verdict they appealed in the higher court.
The foreign ministry statement said the Indian ambassador in Qatar and other officials were present in the Court of Appeal on Thursday, along with family members of the men.
“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 statement said.
The eight veterans — seven retired officers and a sailor — worked for the private firm Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a company owned by an Omani national.
The Omani national was arrested last year in the same case but was eventually let off. The firm carried out projects with the armed forces of Qatar, as reported earlier by ThePrint.
On 7 November, the Indian embassy in Doha received “another” consulate access to the detainees. On 9 November, it was confirmed by foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi that appeals had been filed in the case.
The appeal process in Qatar
On 24 November, the Court of Appeal accepted the pleas made by the eight Navy veterans, ThePrint had reported. The next stop is the Court of Cassation — the highest court in Qatar’s judicial system.
If their next appeal falls through here, the fate of the eight veterans rests with the Emir of Qatar. The Emir has the authority to pardon any prisoner or commute a sentence.
However, the Emir pardons prisoners only on Ramadan and the country’s National Day, which is on 18 December. A case for pardon can only be made once all due processes of appeal have been exhausted.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
Also read: Verdict on 8 Indian Navy veterans jailed in Qatar expected this month, says MEA