India Secures Consular Access For All 8 Ex-Navy Personnel Sentenced To Death In Qatar

India confirmed that its ambassador in Qatar secured consular access to meet with all eight former Indian Navy personnel sentenced to death on December 3rd.

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi stated, "Our ambassador met all eight of them in prison on December 3. We're closely monitoring the situation, providing legal and consular assistance, and will continue to do so."

#WATCH | MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi says, "You would have seen Prime Minister Modi meet Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad, the Amir of Qatar in Dubai on the sidelines of CoP28. Theyve had a good conversation on the overall bilateral relationship as well as in the well-being of the… pic.twitter.com/PfcBKtKvnm

— ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2023

In October, a Qatar court sentenced seven retired naval officers and a sailor to death. They were employees of Al Dahra Global Technologies, a firm offering services to Qatar's armed forces. Detained since August last year on unspecified charges, reports suggest they were accused of espionage.

India strongly condemned the ruling and has filed an appeal against the sentence. A higher court in Qatar has accepted the plea, managed by the detained Indians' legal team.

Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar assured full government support for the veterans' return, emphasizing efforts to ensure their welfare. He affirmed, "The Indian government is committed to their safe return."