Qatar Court Releases Former Indian Navy Personnel; Seven Return Home Amid Diplomatic Success

In a significant turn of events, the Qatar court has granted release to all eight former Indian Navy personnel in its custody. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that seven of them have already returned to India, marking a welcomed resolution to a longstanding diplomatic issue.

Issuing an official statement, the MEA expressed gratitude towards the Qatar court for their decision to release the ex-Indian Navy personnel, hailing their safe return home. The statement highlighted the Indian government’s appreciation for the Amir of Qatar’s role in facilitating the release.

The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement, “The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals.”

This positive outcome follows extensive diplomatic efforts between Qatar and India, which led to the commutation of the capital punishment initially handed to the Indian Navy veterans. Subsequently, after appeals from their families and through MEA’s engagement, their prison terms were further reduced.

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Out of the eight former Indian Navy officers detained in Qatar, seven have successfully returned to India, as confirmed by the MEA. Efforts are underway to facilitate the return of the remaining individual.

The initial arrest and imprisonment of these individuals stemmed from allegations of espionage-related to a submarine program in October 2022. The Qatari court had sentenced them to death on charges that were not publicly disclosed, a ruling which was met with shock by the Indian government. The MEA vowed to explore all available legal avenues to challenge the charges against the former Navy personnel.

The case took a positive turn when the court in Qatar responded to diplomatic interventions, commuting the death sentences to imprisonment. This recent development marks a significant milestone in resolving the Dahra Global case, showcasing the effectiveness of diplomatic dialogue and legal advocacy in safeguarding the rights of Indian nationals abroad.

What did the veterans say after the release?

The Navy veterans who were freed by Qatar following more than a year in an alleged spying case expressed gratitude to the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making this possible. Raising the slogan “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” seven of the eight returning veterans left the Delhi airport.

“We are very happy that we are back in India, safely. We would like to thank PM Modi as this was only possible because of his intervention,” said one of them.

One of them said, “It wouldn’t have been possible for us to stand here without the intervention of PM Modi. And it also happened due to the continuous efforts of the Government of India.”

“We waited almost for 18 months to be back in India. We are extremely grateful to the PM. It wouldn’t have been possible without his intervention and his equation with Qatar. We are grateful to the Government of India from the bottom of our hearts for every effort that has been made and this day won’t have been possible without those efforts,” another veteran added.