Congress Expresses Relief as Qatar Court Commutes Death Sentence for Eight Navy Veterans

The Congress has conveyed its satisfaction with the Court of Appeals in Qatar for commuting the death penalty of eight former Indian Navy officers. The party expressed hope that not only would their death sentence be overturned, but also that their jail terms would be nullified, ultimately leading to their release.

Providing significant relief for New Delhi, the appellate court in Qatar has decided to commute the death sentence of the eight Navy veterans. These individuals were arrested in August 2022 in connection with an alleged espionage case.

We have noted the verdict today of the Court of Appeals of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Thursday. Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party shares its relief over the decision. The Indian National Congress shares its immediate relief along with the entire nation that the Court of Appeals in Qatar has decided not to go ahead with the death penalty on 8 former Indian Navy officers. While fuller details are awaited we express the hope that even the jail sentence that has replaced the death penalty will be set aside and the officers will be set free, Ramesh said in a post on X.

Within the group of eight Navy veterans, Captain Navtej Gill stood out as an accomplished individual. He was honored with the President's Gold Medal for excellence upon his graduation from the Naval Academy. Furthermore, Captain Gill went on to serve as an instructor at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, Tamil Nadu.