The external affairs ministry said it would not make any further comments at this juncture “due to the confidential and sensitive nature of proceedings of this case”.

New Delhi: Two months after sentencing eight Indian Navy veterans to death, Qatar’s Court of Appeal reduced their capital punishment to imprisonment of varying terms on Thursday (December 28).

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted the “verdict today of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced”.

The ministry said that Vipul, the Indian ambassador to Qatar, as well as the veterans’ family members were present in the Court of Appeal when the order was delivered.

Stating that a detailed judgement is awaited, the MEA said that it was “in close touch with the legal team as well as the family members to decide on the next steps”.

As usual, the ministry explained that it would not make any further comments at this juncture “due to the confidential and sensitive nature of proceedings of this case”.

“We have stood by them since the beginning of the matter and we will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also continue to take up the matter with the Qatari authorities,” it added.

There was no mention of the extent to which the veterans’ sentences were reduced, but it is understood that they have been given varying prison terms.

The eight men are Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commodore Amit Nagpal, Commodore Purnendu Tiwari, Commodore Sugunakar Pakala, Commodore Sanjeev Gupta and Sailor Ragesh.

read more: https://thewire.in/diplomacy/qatar-court-commutes-death-sentence-given-to-eight-indian-navy-veterans