Qatar verdict on 8 ex-Navy men confidential, appeal filed against the death penalty: Arindam Bagchi
On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India has filed an appeal with Qatar over the death penalty to eight former Indian Navy personnel, who were arrested in August last year and sentenced last month.
At a media briefing here, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “There is a court of first instance in Qatar that passed a judgment on October 26 in a case involving eight Indian employees of the Al Dahra company.”
He said that the judgment is “confidential” and it has been shared with the legal team.
“And they are deciding the next steps and an appeal has already been filed,” Bagchi said. He further said that we are also engaged with the Qatari authorities.
“On November 7, our Embassy got the consular access and we met them there. We are also in contact with their family members and Minister S Jaishankar met them last month in Delhi,” the MEA spokesperson said.
He also said that this is a very sensitive issue. “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,” he added.
The eight persons were arrested last year after being charged with spying for Israel by Qatar authorities. The men also include decorated officers who once commanded major Indian warships, and were working for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private firm that provided training and related services to Qatar’s armed forces.
India described the ruling as “deeply” shocking and vowed to explore all legal options in the case.
The bail pleas of the ex-Navy personnel were rejected numerous times and their detention was extended by Qatari authorities. The Court of First Instance of Qatar passed a judgment awarding them the death sentence.
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.
[With Inputs from IANS]
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Recruitment of Ex-Navy officers is secret.
Arrests happen secretly
Charges framed are secret
First court proceeds are secret
Punishment given is secret
What is discussed in court is secret
Appeals are secret
Sentencing anything happens are secret
Qatar is a secretive country
Its operations are secret
What happens inside this country is secret
It is inshort a police state (worse than dictatorship)