60-day window open to appeal: MEA on Qatar court relief for 8 Indian Navy veterans

NEW DELHI: A week after a Qatar court commuted the death sentences of eight Indian ex-Navy personnel, the External Affairs ministry said that a 60-day window has opened to appeal the case in the highest court in Qatar.

During a press briefing, the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the legal team of the MEA has the court order, which is a confidential document.

The newly appointed spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaiswal, emphasised the temporal significance of this period, stating, "As far as the issue is concerned, there is a time of 60 days when this issue can be appealed in the Court of Cassation, which is the highest court in Qatar."

The MEA's legal team possesses the confidential court order detailing the commutation of the death sentences to imprisonment terms, a move revealed in a press release following the court of appeal's judgment on December 28.

"We issued a press release in which we informed you that the death sentence, which was originally a death penalty, has been changed to an imprisonment sentence. Now our legal team has that court order, and I can confirm that all of them have received sentences of different durations, and the death penalty has been abolished," Jaiswal said.

Eight Indian nationals, former naval personnel, were arrested in Qatar in October 2022 on charges related to alleged spying on a submarine programme. While the detailed judgment from the Court of Appeal is awaited, the MEA has assured that they are closely coordinating with the legal team and the families of the individuals involved.

"Our legal team is working on this issue, and we are also working with the family and the legal team on this issue. Talking, connected, and looking forward to seeing what happens," Jaiswal remarked, underscoring the collaborative effort to navigate the complexities of the case.

The MEA had previously issued a release expressing awareness of the verdict and a commitment to provide consular and legal assistance.

The ambassador and officials were present during the Court of Appeal proceedings, standing in solidarity with the families.