Eight Indian naval veterans on death row in Qatar are awaiting confirmation on whether their sentence will be pardoned this week.
Ahead of the National Day of Qatar on 18 December, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani released a list of a number of prisoners to be pardoned, sending a wave of hope among the families of the accused.
Overview
The list was released as a part of the Emir’s bi-annual ‘act of mercy.’
With the Indian veterans imprisoned in the Gulf country on espionage charges, New Delhi is waiting for formal confirmation on whether the sentences of those held in the case will also be pardoned.
The New Indian Express reported that the wives of the eight veterans have arrived in Doha and are hoping to hear the news in person.
The report said that the families are hoping for an early repatriation ever since their meeting with External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar on 10 December.
Low Possibility of Pardon
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings to the Qatari government for the National Day. However, there was no mention of the prisoners.
The Emir usually pardons prisoners on Ramadan and the National Day, with several of those pardoned hailing from South Asian nations like India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines.
A grant of pardon is looked upon as an act of ‘good will’ towards the expatriates.
Over 700,000 Indians residing in Qatar contribute significantly to the local economy.
India awaiting confirmation on pardon of eight naval veterans, wives already in Qatar- @NewIndianXpress @MEAIndia @IndEmbDoha @indiannavy @IndiannavyMedia @santwana99 https://t.co/jVyIJCi0dq
— Yeshi Seli (@YeshiSeli) December 19, 2023
Despite these hopes, sources in the Indian government have claimed that a pardon is unlikely as the appeal process is still underway. This is because a pardon can only be requested once all due processes of appeal are exhausted.
However, Indian PM Narendra Modi met the Qatari Emir in Dubai on the sidelines of the COP 28 Summit on 2 December; ever since this meeting, there has been some optimism regarding the pardon.
The Case
The former naval officials, who were working with Qatari Al Dahra Global Technologies and Consulting Services, which advised the Doha government on the acquisition of submarines, were sentenced to death on espionage charges in October.
The officials were accused of spying for Israel on a Qatari submarine program.
Subsequently, India filed a formal appeal on behalf of the detainees in Qatar after they were sentenced to death.
Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vashisht, Commander Purenendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal, and Sailor Ragesh are the eight officers in jail since August 2022.
Following the verdict, the Indian government expressed “deep shock,” and in late October, Jaishankar met with the accused’s families.
So far, the former naval officers have been granted their fourth consular access and permitted to use the gym and engage in outdoor sports like tennis and badminton.
The next date for the hearing has been set at 28 December.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has repeatedly expressed hopes for a positive outcome in the case.