Family members of some of the eight Indian Navy veterans who are currently languishing in Qatari jail have filed a mercy petition with the country’s Emir urging their pardon, the New Indian Express reported.
It has been more than ten and a half months since the eight naval officials were arrested by Qatar’s interior ministry.
A few imprisoned veterans have also urged a pardon from the Emir of Qatar. The veterans’ families say that the Emir of Qatar is known to be kind, and they hope that their request will be taken into consideration.
According to the New Indian Express reports, most of the veterans are over 60 years of age and constant trial has led to a determination of their health.
However, the Qatari government has not yet officially declared what the veterans have been accused of. In April, The Tribune reported that they have been accused of spying for Israel and are facing the death penalty.
The veteran’s bail pleas have been rejected by the Qatari government at least eight times in a row since September 2022.
The veterans who are in Qatari jail are identified as Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta and sailor Ragesh.
Following a three-week armed conflict in the Gaza Strip in December 2008 and January 2009, Qatar cut diplomatic ties with Israel.
According to TNIE, charges were brought against the veterans on March 25 of this year. They were first caught by Qatari authorities in August 2022 and reportedly spent the next eight months in solitary confinement.
