The families of eight former Indian Navy personnel, sentenced to death by a Qatari court, have filed an appeal. The Indian government is actively engaged with authorities in Qatar to find a resolution to the issue that has cast a shadow on bilateral ties.
The eight men, who have commanded frontline warships in the Indian Navy, were sentenced to death by Qatar’s Court of First Instance on October 26 after being detained for more than a year on undeclared charges. The reports have suggested the men were accused of espionage.
The judgment is confidential and has only been shared with the legal team. Legal procedures are in motion and an appeal has already been filed. India’s Ministry of External Affairs is also engaged with the Qatari authorities on this matter.
There is also the possibility of Indian government approaching the International Court of Justice, as was done in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, the former Indian Navy officer who was given the death sentence by a Pakistani military court on charges of spying. Alternatively, petitioning the EMIR of Qatar for a pardon remains a possibility.
