India’s foreign ministry reported on Monday that Qatar released eight retired Indian Navy officers whose death sentences on suspected espionage were commuted last year, according to The Globe and Mail.
We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals.
Eight men were charged with espionage while working for Al Dahra, a company that advises the Qatari government on submarine acquisitions. The suspects were jailed in 2022 and given death sentences in October, which were commuted to prison sentences after India stated it was exploring legal options and filed an appeal. Seven men returned to their homeland.
The statement came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 climate talks in Dubai in December.
