Qatar Court's Landmark Decision: 8 Former Indian Navy Personnel Released, 7 Return to India

In a significant turn of events, seven former Indian Army personnel, who had been previously sentenced to death, have returned to India following a pivotal decision by the Qatar court.

#WATCH | Delhi: Qatar released the eight Indian ex-Navy veterans who were in its custody; seven of them have returned to India. pic.twitter.com/yuYVx5N8zR

¡ª ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2024

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the release of all eight former Indian Navy personnel from Qatar's custody, with seven having already returned to their homeland.

A win for diplomatic negotiations

The capital punishment initially imposed on the incarcerated Indian Navy veterans was later commuted to an extended prison term following diplomatic negotiations between Qatar and India.

Out of the total eight former Indian Navy officers detained in Qatar, seven have now returned to India, according to the MEA. Efforts are underway to facilitate the return of the last released veteran.

MEA

In an official statement, the MEA expressed gratitude, stating, "The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and homecoming of these nationals."

Why were the former Indian army personnel imprisoned in Qatar?

The group of eight Indian nationals, formerly associated with the Indian Navy, had been imprisoned in Qatar in October 2022 on charges of allegedly spying on a submarine program. The Qatari court had found them guilty of espionage, sentencing them to death on charges not disclosed publicly.

Expressing deep shock at the court's ruling, the MEA stated that it would explore all legal avenues to have the charges against the former Indian Navy personnel dropped.

The Diplomatist

The Dahra Global case witnessed a significant development last year when the Qatar court, influenced by intervention from the Indian government, commuted the death sentences to jail terms.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.