In a big win for Indian diplomacy, Qatar’s Court of Appeal has revised the death sentences given to 8 former Indian Navy officers. The 8 accused will now serve a time in jail for the charges levied on them. A court had previously handed them the death penalty in a case involving corruption and espionage.
The Ministry of External Affairs in India had been in close contact with the concerned authorities and made all possible attempts to reverse the death penalty which has finally reached the stage of fruition. The family members of the accused felt relieved after the sentence was reduced.
The Indian Ambassador to Qatar was also present at the hearing. The MEA provided all legal and consular support to the accused to protect them. The officers were arrested in August 2022.
The reduction of sentence could mean that the accused might be able to return back to India to serve the sentence. The ‘Treaty on the transfer of sentenced persons between India and Qatar’ allows prisoners to serve their sentence close to their family in their own country.
