India Files Appeal Against Death Penalty Given To 8 Navy Veterans In Qatar

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that an appeal has been filed against the death sentence handed down to eight former Indian Navy personnel by a Qatari court last month.

"As we had informed earlier, the court of first instance of Qatar passed a judgment on October 26 in the case involving 8 Indian employees, the judgment is confidential and has only been shared with the legal team. They are now pursuing further legal steps.

An appeal has already been filed. We will also remain engaged with the Qatari authorities in this matter. On November 7, our embassy in Doha received another consular access to the detainees. We are in touch with their family members too.... We will continue to extend all legal and consular support, and I would urge everyone not to engage in speculation considering the sensitive nature of the case...," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi at his weekly media briefing.

The eight former Indian Navy personnel were on October 26 given death sentence by Qatar's Court of First Instance.

India described the ruling as "deeply" shocking and vowed to explore all legal options in the case. "An appeal has already been filed in the case," Bagchi said at his weekly media briefing.

Last August, Indian nationals employed by the private company Al Dahra were apprehended in an alleged espionage case. The charges against these individuals were not disclosed by either Qatari authorities or New Delhi. In response to the Qatari court's decision, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is attaching "high importance" to this case and is exploring all legal options.

The charges were filed against the eight Indian navy veterans on March 25 and they were tried under Qatari law. All of the former Navy officers had "unblemished stints" of up to 20 years in the Indian Navy and had held important positions including that of instructors in the force, former military officials had said.