8 Ex-Navy Officials Sentenced To Death In Qatar, India Says Exploring Legal Options

The Court of First Instance in Doha, Qatar, delivered a verdict, condemning eight former Indian Navy officials to the death penalty for their roles in the defunct Al Dahra company, also known as Dahra Global.

India has expressed deep shock and concern following the imposition of the death penalty on eight former Indian Navy personnel in Qatar.

''We have initial information that the Court of First Instance of Qatar has today passed a judgement in the case involving 8 Indian employees of Al Dahra company,'' the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

''We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,'' the ministry statement added.

The ministry also said,''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.''

''Due to the confidential nature of proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture,'' the MEA stated.

Eight former Indian Navy personnel, who were held in custody for over a year, have been sentenced to death by a Qatari court. The Indian government has conveyed its profound dismay regarding the verdict and has stated its commitment to exploring all available legal avenues. These veterans were employed by a private company and were apprehended by the Qatari intelligence service on undisclosed allegations.