Qatar Emir set to pardon many prisoners today, but relief ‘unlikely’ for 8 Indian Navy veterans

As Qatar celebrates its National Day, many prisoners expected to be granted clemency by Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. But in case of Indian ex-Navy men, appeal process still underway.

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in New York | ANI

New Delhi: As Qatar celebrates its National Day, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is expected to pardon a number of prisoners Monday as part of his bi-annual ‘act of mercy’. 

Eight former Indian Navy personnel are currently behind bars in Qatar on undisclosed charges and have appealed against a death sentence. However, Indian government sources say a pardon is unlikely Monday as the appeal process is still underway. 

A case for pardon can only be made once all due processes of appeal are exhausted, sources further said.

Four days prior to the National Day, the Amiri Dewan, the administrative office of the Emir, said the Qatari ruler had issued an order pardoning a number of prisoners, but did not include further details.

On Monday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said he’d conveyed greetings to Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister on the Gulf country’s National Day. But there was no mention of the fate of the eight former navy men. 

Convey our National Day greetings to PM and FM @MBA_AlThani_ and the Government and the people of Qatar.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) December 18, 2023

Typically, the Qatari Emir pardons prisoners on Ramadan and the country’s National Day. Many prisoners hail from labour-rich countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Granting clemency is seen as a diplomatic extension of ‘good will’ towards this expat population.

For example, in 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Qatar on a two-day state visit — the first Indian PM to do so in eight years. Following this landmark visit, the Emir pardoned 23 Indian prisoners on the occasion of Ramadan. 

Further, with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the Emir pardoned roughly 500 prisoners to control the spread of the virus.

Many of Doha’s pardoned prisoners belong to countries with large expatriate populations, their offences range from petty theft, fraud and possessing narcotics to sexual abuse. Some of those who have been pardoned by the Emir in the past, had served their jail terms but remained in prison as they had been unable to pay their fines. 

According to news reports, apart from the 23 Indians pardoned in 2016, 7 were released in 2015 and 14 in 2014.

Process of pardoning

Sharia law provides avenues of restitution and forgiveness. The concept of ‘Ar-Rahmah’ (infinite mercy) is a Quranic principle and popularly practised in numerous Arab countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia among others. Therefore, these leaders grant amnesty to prisoners based on humanitarian grounds during Ramadan, a festival associated with forgiveness, and on National Day.

Authorities do not reveal the identities or the total number of prisoners released by the Emiri order. These details are confirmed and released by missions of various countries whose prisoners have received clemency. 

While the Indian embassy provides a list of prisoners to Emir weeks before Ramadan and Qatar’s National Day, they are not allowed to recommend pardons for prisoners who haven’t served at least half of their jail sentences, indicate reports. 

According to data released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released this month, 9,521 Indians are currently incarcerated in foreign prisons, of which more than half are in the Gulf. 

Qatar has 752 Indian prisoners, Saudi Arabia 2,200, UAE has 2,143, Bahrain 310 and Kuwait 410.  

Last year, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan attended the National Day celebrations of Qatar organised by the embassy in Delhi.

ThePrint reached the Qatar embassy in Delhi via phone calls to confirm whether any Indian diplomat would be attending its celebrations Monday, but did not receive a response.

(Edited by Gitanjali Das)