Qatar: Indian envoy meets 8 ex-navy officers sentenced to death
India's ambassador in Qatar was granted consular access to meet the eight former Indian Navy officers sentenced to death on December 3. The update was given by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. "Our ambassador got consular access to meet all 8 of them in prison on 3rd December," he said. Bagchi added that it was a "sensitive issue," but the Indian government will continue to follow the case and do whatever is required.
Why does this story matter?
A Qatari court sentenced eight former officers of the Indian Navy to death on October 26 for alleged espionage after detaining them in August 2022. In response to the verdict, the Indian government expressed shock and filed an appeal against the sentence. The first hearing of the case was held in Qatar's court of appeal on November 30, wherein all the eight accused were given a chance to share their stories. The next hearing is scheduled for December 7.
Legal assistance and appeal against death sentence
Addressing the media on Thursday, Bagchi noted that the families of the Navy personnel have filed an appeal against the death sentence. All former officers had "unblemished stints" of up to 20 years in the Indian Navy and held important positions, including those of instructors. Notably, the charges against the eight Indian nationals were filed on March 25, and they were tried under Qatari law. Last month, the Indian embassy in Doha received consular access to them.
PM Modi's meeting with Qatar emir
This came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad in Dubai on the sidelines of COP28. They discussed the overall bilateral relationship and the well-being of the Indian community. As of now, neither Qatari nor Indian authorities have made the charges against the Indian nationals public. The MEA stated last month that it is attaching "high importance" to the case and exploring all legal options.
Obstacles in appealing against death sentence verdict
The lack of transparency regarding the charges and investigation against the Navy veterans could hinder their chances of appealing the sentence in Qatar's higher judiciary, per The Indian Express. Sushant Singh, a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, said that there were three higher courts that they could approach, followed by the possibility of submitting a mercy petition to Qatar's emir. However, the severity of the charges makes it challenging to obtain legal relief, he told Scroll.
