A Qatar Court has handed the death penalty to eight ex-Indian Navy officers on spying charges. The Indian foreign ministry has said that it would contest the case.
Expressing shock over the sentencing, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement and said, "We have initial information that the Court of First Instance of Qatar has today passed a judgement in the case involving 8 Indian employees of Al Dahra company. We are deeply shocked by the verdict of the death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement,".
According to NDTV, the bail pleas of once-decorated officers were rejected numerous times and their detention was extended by Qatari authorities.