NEW DELHI: All eight naval veterans who were on death row in Qatar, got their first kiss of life on Thursday as a Court of Appeal commuted their sentences. They have now been awarded between three years of imprisonment and over 25 years, sources said.
“All eight naval veterans have been given different terms. The lowest is for Sailor Ragesh, which is three years. For the seven other veterans, their sentences range from 10 years to over 25 years of imprisonment,’’ the source said.
The case will now be heard in the Cassation court, Qatar’s highest court of appeal. Thursday’s judgment goes into why the court awarded different years of imprisonment for each veteran, but is yet been made public because of the sensitive nature of the case.
The spouses of all veterans have been in Doha for sometime now, awaiting the hearing. The failing health of the veterans has been a cause of concern as some of them have lost appetite while a few others are completely withdrawn.
With the case shifting to the Cassation Court, the next hearing is expected in a few days. A Court of Cassation is a high-instance court. It does not re-examine the facts of a case; it interprets the law. Vipul, the Indian Ambassador to Qatar, and families of the eight naval veterans were present in the Court of Appeal on Thursday for the hearing. “We have noted the verdict of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced,” the foreign office said.