India is providing consular and legal assistance and is continuing to bring up the case with Qatari authorities. Eight retired Indian Navy members who were sentenced to death in October were arrested on charges of espionage for Israel; they worked for Dahra Global Technologies and faced solitary confinement and a now reduced death sentence. India notes reduced sentences in the Dahra Global ‘espionage’ case verdict by the Court of Appeal of Qatar. Next actions are being discussed between the legal team and family members and the External Affairs Ministry.
NEW DELHI: On Thursday, the ministry of external affairs said that India has taken note of the Court of Appeal of Qatar’s decision in the Dahra Global “espionage” case, wherein the penalties were lowered.
We are closely coordinating with the legal team and the family members to determine the next course of action as we await the complete decision, the MEA stated.
“We have supported the family members from the start of this issue and we will keep providing all consular and legal support. We will also keep bringing this up with the Qatari authorities,” the ministry stated”The family members were present in the Court of Appeal today, along with our ambassador to Qatar and other officials.”
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It said, “At this point, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment due to the confidential and sensitive nature of the proceedings in this case.”
Sent to death after being arrested in a spy case
In October, a court in Qatar condemned eight former Indian Navy men to death, a decision that “deeply shocked” India.
The people were employees of defense services supplier Dahra Global Technologies, and the intelligence agency of Qatar had detained them on espionage accusations, purportedly on behalf of Israel.
They have faced a death sentence, which has since been lowered, solitary incarceration, and the denial of bail since their arrest.
Eight former Indian Navy officers were arrested last year in connection with an alleged espionage case, and on Thursday, December 28, the Court of Appeal of Qatar remitted their death sentences.
In response to the most recent developments, the Ministry of External Affairs stated on Thursday, “”We have taken note of the Court of Appeal of Qatar’s decision in the Dahra Global case, wherein the sentences were lowered.”
Even now, the specifics of the accusations made against Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal, and Sailor Ragesh remain undisclosed. They were employed in their individual capacities by a private company, Dahra Global, to supervise the induction of Italian U212 stealth submarines into the Qatari Emiri Naval Force.