The Ministry of External Affairs has on Thursday informed in a press release that Qatar’s Court of Appeal has reduced the sentences of the eight former Indian Navy personnel. The Court had earlier on 26th October 2023, handed the eight men death sentences.

“We have noted the verdict today of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced,” MEA said in the statement. The Ministry also said that the detailed judgement is awaited.

The Ministry said that it is in close touch with the legal team as well as the family members to decide on the next steps. Further, it informed that India’s Ambassador to Qatar and other officials were present in the Court of Appeal today, along with the family members.

We have stood by them since the beginning of the matter and we will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also continue to take up the matter with the Qatari authorities, MEA said.

Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurab Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh were arrested in Doha on 30th August 2022 by Qatar intelligence agency.

The former Indian Navy servicemen were employees of Al Dahra Global, a Qatar based company, and were supposedly arrested on charges of spying for Israel. The owner of the company was also reportedly arrested but later released while the eight Indian nationals remained imprisoned.