8 Indian ex-marines have been given death sentence in Qatar. The Indian Foreign Ministry is considering legal options to protect everyone from punishment. Earlier, India had provided relief through some laws in the Italy Marines case. Let us know with the help of which laws the Indian Government can save the ex-marines who were sentenced to death in Qatar.
8 Indian ex-marines have been given death sentence in Qatar : Eight citizens of India have been given death sentence in Qatar. Now the Indian government is trying to provide relief to these eight Indian ex-marines, who have been detained for more than a year, in their death sentence cases. A top official of the Government of India says that this is the decision of the lower court. It needs confirmation from the constitutional bench. Let us inform that these Indian citizens, employees of Al Dahra Company, were detained on 30 August 2022 in an alleged case of espionage. However, Qatari authorities did not make public the allegations against him.
An Indian government official says that the matter will be appealed in the higher court. During the trial, evidence will be presented in support of all the convicted Indian citizens. Hopefully the death penalty will be reduced. The Indian Foreign Ministry is also surprised by the simultaneous death sentence to eight Indian citizens. Therefore, the Government of India is considering all legal options to provide relief to these ex-marines. Let us know with the help of which laws the Indian Government can save all the ex-marines.
Will the Italian Marines case approach be adopted?
The legal battle was then fought under international laws, Maritime Zones Act 1976, Indian Penal Code, and UNCLOS 1982. The Indian government can take recourse to UNCLOS 1982 and other international laws in Qatar. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is an international treaty established in 1982.
This treaty provides a regulatory framework for the use of seas and oceans around the world. The treaty has provisions on sovereignty of countries, determination of maritime areas and rights and naval rights of countries. If India argues under Part 15 of this treaty, then the matter will go to Germany’s International Tribunal for the Law. There is also an option to resolve disputes amongst ourselves.
What was the matter with the Italian marines?
Italian marines had killed two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012. This case was named Enrica Lexie. An attempt was first made to settle the matter domestically under UNCLOS 1982. Then when Italy took the case to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the tribunal ordered the closure of the ongoing cases against the Italian marines. After this, when the matter went to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, it ruled that the Italian marines were working on behalf of a nation. Therefore, India cannot initiate any criminal case against the two Italian naval officers.
What did Indian ex-marines do in Qatar?
Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vashishtha, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Sanjeev Gupta and Sailor Ragesh, who were Captains in the Indian Navy in Qatar, have been sentenced to death.
All the Indians were working in Qatar’s Al Dahra Global Company, which trains the Qatari army. All of them were looking into the matter of inclusion of Italian U-212 stealth submarines in the Emirati Naval Force of Qatar. All of them were taken into custody while returning to India on 30 August 2022. In August 2023, he was brought out of solitary confinement for 11 months. Then on October 26, everyone was sentenced to death.
Family members adopted this option for protection
Along with the Indian government, the families of these convicted employees are also trying to save the former Indian marines in Qatar. Under this, the family members have filed a mercy petition before ‘Emir of Qatar’ Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Let us tell you that the Amir of Qatar is known for granting clemency during Ramadan and Eid.
