Qatari Court Decision on Indian Naval Personnel | 06 Jan 2024

Qatar has commuted the death sentence for eight Indian Navy veterans and turned that into a “varying quantum” of jail terms. The jailed former Indian Navy personnel in Qatar have been given 60 days to appeal against the varying prison terms.

Commutation of a death sentence refers to the reduction or change of a death penalty to a less severe punishment.
- The eight Indians, whose death sentences are commuted, now qualify for repatriation to India. This falls under the 2015 Bilateral Agreement with Qatar, permitting prisoners to serve their terms in their home country.
Qatar, a strong regional player, is a key supplier of energy to India and at least seven lakh Indians form a part of the foreign workforce in the Gulf nation.