(Bloomberg) — New Delhi is considering appealing the death sentence handed down to eight former Indian navy staff in Qatar, according to people familiar with the matter, in a case that’s shocked the government and prompted an outpouring of concern.
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The government’s top priority is an appeal against the verdict and using diplomatic channels to help the retired navy officials, the people said, asking not to be identified given the sensitivity of the issue. Qatar’s judicial system allows for an appeal in the case, they said.
The eight men, who were involved in training the Qatari navy, were sentenced to death by the Gulf country’s Court of First Instance for alleged espionage, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs didn’t provide any details of the charges in a statement Thursday, adding it was “deeply shocked by the verdict” and would take up the sentencing with Qatar authorities. Qatar’s government hasn’t made public any details about the case.
Ajay Alok, a spokesman for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, said India was prepared to fight a legal battle to bring the eight men back home, Press Trust of India reported Friday. He said the International Court of Justice was there to use as well.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs didn’t immediately respond to a request Friday for further information.
The case is likely to pose a new diplomatic headache for Modi’s government, which is already embroiled in a dispute with Canada over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in the country. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused India’s government of helping to orchestrate the murder, claims that have been dismissed by New Delhi as “absurd.”
India and Qatar have strong economic ties, but diplomatic relations have come under strain recently. In June last year, Qatar demanded an apology from India after BJP members made derogatory comments about Islam, resulting in angry protests from several Gulf countries.
Qatar summoned India’s ambassador at the time to register its disapproval and condemn the remarks. New Delhi tried to distance itself from the people who had made the comments and said it took “strong action” against them.
Qatar is the largest supplier of liquefied natural gas to India, accounting for over 50% of the South Asian country’s LNG imports. More than 700,000 Indian nationals also reside in Qatar, making them the largest expatriate community in the Gulf state.
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