Qatar: Indian Ambassador meets eight ex-Naval officers who were sentenced to death

Qatar sentenced eight former Indian Navy officers to death in October. On this occasion, India expressed shock and reiterated its commitment to use all available legal means.

The Indian Foreign Ministry has said that the Indian ambassador to Qatar has met eight former Indian Navy officers who were sentenced to death in the Arab country.

This meeting took place on December 3 in the jail.

A Qatari court held two hearings on India's appeal against the preliminary ruling, an Indian ministry spokesman said. The third hearing will be held soon.

Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arndam Bagchi said on Thursday: 'We are closely monitoring the matter and providing all legal and diplomatic assistance. Our ambassador received consular access to meet all eight in prison on December 3.'

Qatar sentenced eight former Indian Navy officers to death in October. On this occasion, India expressed shock and reiterated its commitment to use all available legal means.

The eight men were employees of Al-Zahira Consulting Company, which advises the Qatari government on the acquisition of submarines.

Neither Qatar nor India have disclosed the specific charges against the eight, but according to The Times of Israel, the retired Indian navy officers were arrested last year on suspicion of spying for Israel on Qatar's military submarine program. went.

The newspaper Financial Times quoted unnamed sources familiar with the matter as saying that these eight people have been charged with 'spying for Israel'.

The death penalty is rarely carried out in Qatar. The last execution in the Gulf state was in 2020, while the previous execution was in 2003.

Last month, India filed an appeal against the death sentence handed down by Qatar.

Bagchi had said at that time that 'an appeal has already been filed in this matter.' He had stressed that the officers would continue to receive consular assistance from New Delhi.

"The decision is confidential and has been shared only with the legal team," he said. They are now taking further legal steps and an appeal has already been filed. We will also be in touch with the Qatari authorities in this matter.

The former Indian Navy officers have been identified as Captain Nutej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vashisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnandu Tiwari, Commander Sagankar Pukala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta and Sailor Rajesh. He was detained in Qatar last year.

Two days before the Indian ambassador's meeting, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani during the COP28 summit in Dubai.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on the social networking site X (formerly Twitter) that he had the opportunity to meet the Emir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on the occasion of the COP 28 summit in Dubai. We had a good discussion about the prospects of bilateral partnership and the welfare of Indian citizens living in Qatar.'

The families of former Indian Navy officers have also sent a mercy plea to the Emir of Qatar.