NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met the family members of eight former Indian Navy personnel, who have been sentenced to death by a Qatari court, and assured them that the government would make all efforts to secure their release.
The 8 naval veterans have been imprisoned in Doha since August 30, 2022. “The government attaches the highest importance to the case. We fully share the pains of the families. We will continue to make all efforts to secure their release and will coordinate closely with families,’’ said Jaishankar.
A Qatari lower court on October 26 announced the death penalty for the naval veterans, without disclosing the charges. The families of the Navy veterans have launched signature campaigns, have been staging protests and have appealed to the government to intervene to secure their release.
The eight veterans were working for Dhara Consultancies in Doha and were taken for what was assumed to be a routine exercise on August 30, 2022. However, none of the officers ever came back as they were put in solitary confinement for over six months. Charges were framed against them which were not made public.
After seven hearings, the judgment made on October 26 awarded the death penalty to the former Navy personnel, again without revealing the charges. However, despite the setbacks, there is optimism that the verdict would be reversed and the eight veterans would be repatriated to India.
Meanwhile, Indian Navy chief R Hari kumar in Goa said that all efforts are being made by the government to find relief for eight personnel who have been awarded death sentence by a court in Qatar. “I have not yet seen the transcript of the court hearing...it was supposed to have been transcribed and provided to us on Sunday. We will have a look at it.,” he said.
(With inputs from Mayank Singh)