Qatar court drops death sentence for 8 Indians, New Delhi says

A Qatar court has dropped the death sentence imposed on eight Indian former naval officers arrested there last year, India’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.

The eight men, who were condemned to death in October, were accused of spying for Israel according to sources — though India and Qatar have not confirmed the charges.

India’s foreign ministry did not say what new sentence or penalty the men would now face.

It “noted the verdict today of the Court of Appeal of Qatar” in which the sentences “have been reduced”.

“We are in close touch with the legal team as well as the family members to decide on the next steps,” and will “continue to take up the matter with the Qatari authorities,” it added.

It declined to comment on the case further “due to the confidential and sensitive nature of proceedings”.

Qatar and Israel’s embassies in New Delhi did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

India had expressed shock when Qatar’s Court of First Instance imposed the death penalty on the eight men who were working on a submarine project with a private company for the Qatari authorities.

It had said the country would “make all efforts” to secure the release of the eight ex-navy personnel.

More than 800,000 Indian citizens live and work in Qatar, which is also a significant provider of natural gas for India.

from The Dawn News - Home https://ift.tt/60oPljh

Comments

Ministers rubbish notion that proposed retirement age extension to favour ‘one particular institution’

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday rubbished the notion that a proposed extension in the retirement age was to favour “one particular institution”, adding that the move would be implemented across the board if approved. The rebuttal comes in the wake of media reports claiming that the government was mulling changes to the Constitution to fix the tenure of the chief justice . Currently, judges of the Supreme Court, including the chief justice, retire after attaining the age of superannuation, i.e. 65 years, as stipulated in Article 179 of the Constitution. While giving his opinion recently on the reports of the constitutional amendment, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had said he “will not vehemently turn down the proposals related to the tenure of the chief justice”. Addressing the issue during a press conference in Islamabad today along since Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and the law minister, Attaullah said the extension in the retirement age was “a proposal to a...

The Republican primary race for president in 2024

The Republican primary race for president in 2024 is already shaping up to be a competitive one. There are a number of high-profile candidates who have already announced their intention to run, and more are expected to join the field in the coming months. The frontrunner for the nomination is former President Donald Trump. Trump has been teasing a 2024 run for months, and he has a large and loyal following among Republican voters. However, he is also a polarizing figure, and his candidacy could alienate some moderate Republicans. Another potential contender for the nomination is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis has been praised by many conservatives for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his opposition to vaccine mandates. He is also seen as a rising star in the Republican Party. Other potential candidates include former Vice President Mike Pence, former Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Senator Tim Scott. Pence is a more traditional Republican who could appeal to moderate vote...

Explainer: Iran’s economy faces rocky road amid rising prices, falling currency

Iran’s economy is going through one of its most difficult periods in years, fueled by sanctions, high inflation, and a significant drop in the value of the national currency, the rial. These pressures have had a direct impact on living standards and have also fueled recent protests. The protests began on Dec. 28 in commercial hubs in the capital Tehran, when shopkeepers, merchants, and small business owners staged strikes and demonstrations to protest soaring inflation, the collapsing rial, and deteriorating economic conditions, and have since grown into nationwide anti-government expressions of discontent involving workers, students, and others across multiple cities. The Iranian president said Sunday that his government is determined to address Iran’s economic problems amid the protests. Masoud Pezeshkian said the government admits to “shortcomings and problems” and is working hard to alleviate the people’s concerns, especially on the economy. Currency collapse at the centre of c...

Infinity Social Updates

Search This Blog