Qatar: Indian ex-naval officers get ‘varying’ jail terms
Eight former Indian naval officers, previously condemned to death in Qatar, are now facing prison terms of varying lengths, according to statements from India. These individuals have a 60-day window to challenge the imposed jail sentences.
The death penalties were initially commuted by a Qatari court last month, and although specific charges have not been disclosed by either Qatar or India, anonymous sources cited by the Financial Times and Reuters suggest the charges revolve around allegations of spying for Israel.
All three countries involved—India, Qatar, and Israel—have refrained from commenting on these claims. The court orders about the case remain undisclosed, but India has been providing updates on this diplomatic challenge.
In a recent press briefing, Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the Indian foreign ministry, revealed that the legal team now has access to the confidential court order, converting the death penalties into varying prison terms for the eight Indian nationals.
The individuals have a 60-day appeal period in the Court of Cassation, Qatar’s highest court, and the specifics of the jail terms were not disclosed. Jaiswal emphasized that the next steps lie with the legal team to determine the course of action.
In October 2023, India expressed profound shock following the initial death sentences, pledging to explore all available legal avenues and subsequently filing an appeal against the harsh judgments.
The arrest of the men had made front-page headlines in India in 2022.
The Indian government has described the eight men in a statement as employees of a private company called Al Dahra, but they have been widely reported to be former personnel of the Indian Navy.
In parliament, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar described them as “ex-servicemen” of the country. The families of some of the men have also confirmed their identities and background in the Navy to local media.
