A court in Qatar handed down death sentences to eight former Indian Navy personnel on Wednesday. These individuals have been charged with alleged espionage activities on behalf of Israel, according to sources in India and Qatar cited by Reuters. The Indian nationals were apprehended by Qatar's intelligence agency in August 2022. However, neither New Delhi nor Doha officially disclosed the charges against them.
A government official in India, who is privy to Qatar's position, disclosed that Qatari authorities had accused these individuals of spying for Israel. The eight Indian nationals who face the death penalty have the opportunity to appeal their sentences, as indicated by a source familiar with the case in Qatar who spoke to Reuters.
Both the Indian and Qatari foreign ministries have refrained from making comments on the information provided by these sources to Reuters. Moreover, there has been no immediate response from the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, which oversees Israel's intelligence services.
Following the announcement of the verdict by the Court of First Instance in Qatar, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed "deep shock" and stated that it is exploring all possible legal avenues.
"We are deeply shocked by the verdict of the death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgment. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options," read an official statement from the MEA.
"We attach high importance to this case and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities," the statement further emphasized.
It's worth noting that Qatar is home to over 800,000 Indian citizens who live and work in the country.
The eight former Indian Navy officers—Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, and Sailor Rajesh—were arrested by Qatar's intelligence agency in Doha on August 30, 2022.
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