Emphasising that the case of eight former Indian Navy personnel on death row in Qatar was important for the country, India on Thursday said the government was doing everything to see how they could be brought back home.
At a media briefing here, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the matter was currently in the Court of Appeal in Qatar. Three hearings in the case have been held so far on 23 and 30 November and 7 December. The Indian ambassador in Qatar has got consular access to the eight Indians.
He said he could not share any more information on the issue since Qatar has not officially communicated anything to India. He said he had no information on whether any Indians were among the prisoners who were pardoned on Qatar’s National Day on 18 December.
Qatar’s Court of First Instance awarded death sentences to the eight former Indian Navy officials, who have been in prison since August 2022, on 26 October without specifying charges against them. India said the ruling was “deeply shocking” and expressed its decision to explore all legal options in the case.