The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Monday that it’s glad about the release of eight Indian sailors held in Qatar. Seven of them are now back in India. Videos of the sailors leaving the airport became popular on social media as people praised the government’s skillful diplomacy.
INDIA WELCOMES RETURN OF DETAINED SAILORS :
“The Indian government is happy that eight Indian nationals, who worked for Dahra Global in Qatar and were detained, have been released. Seven out of the eight have come back to India,” stated the Ministry of External Affairs in a short message.
Another person added, “We waited for almost 18 months to return to India. We’re so thankful to the PM. His direct involvement and his relationship with Qatar made it possible. We thank the Government of India from the bottom of our hearts for all their efforts. Today wouldn’t be possible without them.”
ALSO READ : Qatar lessens sentences for eight Indian nationals on death row.
WHY WERE THE INDIAN NATIONALS DETAINED?
The Indian men were captured by Qatari authorities in August 2022 and held in custody without stating the reasons for their arrest. Several months later, charges were brought against the Indian nationals on March 25, 2023, and they went through legal procedures following Qatari laws.
In November, the eight Indian sailors employed by Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services were given a death penalty. This shocked New Delhi, which promised to pursue all legal avenues to free its citizens.
In December, a Qatar court chose to lessen the death penalties for the eight Indian nationals involved in an alleged espionage case. This decision followed the acceptance of an appeal by the Indian government.
In December, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated that New Delhi is focused on bringing back the eight nationals. He emphasized India’s dedication to resolving the issue and mentioned that the government is actively striving to repatriate its citizens swiftly.
Significantly, there has been limited information shared by both the Indian and Qatari authorities regarding the case since the men were detained in August 2022.