A Qatari court has handed down death sentences to eight former Indian Navy officers on espionage charges, sparking a strong reaction in New Delhi.
Retired Indian Navy officers were arrested last year on suspicion of spying for Israel as part of Qatar’s military submarine program, the Times of Israel reported.
The Indian government said it would explore all legal options in the case, and the country’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement it would “review the verdict with Qatari authorities” and continue to “provide all consular and legal assistance” to those detained. “We are deeply shocked by the death penalty verdict and await a detailed decision,” the ministry added.
Eight of the men were employees of Al Dahra, a consulting firm that works with the Qatari government on submarine acquisitions. According to reports, retired Indian Navy officers have served for up to 20 years and held critical positions, including instructor positions.
Neither the Indian government nor the Qatari authorities made the allegations against the retirees public. Earlier, Qatari authorities provided New Delhi with consular access to eight Indian citizens during their trial.
India’s Foreign Minister, in turn, stressed that the exact nature of the charges brought against eight people is “not entirely clear”, and the government added that “it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage” due to the “confidential nature of the proceedings “.
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