The Court of Appeal in Qatar has commuted the death sentences of eight Indian nationals, all ex-navy officers, who had been working for the Doha-based firm, Al Dahra Global. The announcement was made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The detailed judgment from the Court of Appeal is yet to be released. Indian ambassador to Qatar attended the announcement in court, alongside family members of the eight men. In an official statement, the MEA affirmed that it has supported these men from the beginning and will continue to extend all necessary consular and legal assistance.
Studies claim that these men were arrested for allegedly spying on behalf of Israel. However, the Qatari government has not publicly confirmed this. The men were initially sentenced to death by the Court of First Instance of Qatar. Throughout their time in custody, the Indian government was granted consular access and the men remained in contact with their families.
India’s MEA estimates that currently around 746,550 Indian nationals are residing in Qatar, which hosts one of the largest global populations of Indians. Over half of Qatar’s population are foreign workers, with a significant proportion being Southeast Asian. Qatar’s treatment of these foreign laborers, especially during the preparations for the 2022 World Cup, received significant criticism. The Guardian revealed that during this time, some 6,500 migrant workers from countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka lost their lives. The World Cup preparation period was also notorious for allegations of Southeast Asian workers being forced into unpaid labor.
Retired Major General Satbir Singh, Chairman of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement, insists that the sentenced men had traveled to Qatar with the goal of training Qatari Navy staff. Singh has further stated that some of the men are of advanced age and suffering from serious health issues.
More details will be available once the detailed judgment from the Court of Appeal is released.