NEW DELHI: India’s foreign ministry said Monday that Qatar had freed eight ex-navy personnel it had previously arrested and sentenced to death, reportedly for spying for Israel.

The foreign ministry never gave details on the eight Indian nationals or their alleged crimes, and Qatar has not commented on the case or made the charges public.

But Indian media have reported that the men — among them former high-ranking and decorated officers, including captains who once commanded warships — were arrested in Doha in August 2022.

In October, India said it was “shocked” after a Qatari court had sentenced them to death. They were charged with spying while working at Al Dahra, a consulting company that according to Indian media reports advises the Qatari government on submarine acquisitions. The sentence was “reduced” in December, but the Qatari government’s media office declined to comment on the details.

According to the website of Al Dahra, the eight men were employees of the Gulf-based company that offers “complete support solutions” to the aerospace, security and defence sectors.

The Hindu newspaper reported the men were spying for a “third country”, while the Times of India said, “Various reports claimed they were accused of spying for Israel”.

On Monday, New Delhi said the men had all been released.

“The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India,” it added, thanking Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the decision “to enable the release and homecoming” of the detainees.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2024