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Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has agreed to grant another consular access to the eight Indian naval veterans on January 14. This will be the fifth consular access since they were detained on August 30, 2022.
It will be the first consular access since the case moved to the cassation court after the death penalty was commuted to prison terms for all eight last month. The last consular access was granted on December 3, 2023.
“Even though the death penalty has been commuted to separate prison terms for all eight naval veterans, we are extremely concerned about their health. We had been hoping for a consular access and heaved a sigh of relief when we learnt it will happen on January 14. With continuous confinement, the health of many has been compromised, some have lost excessive weight due to diabeties and blood pressure issues, while others have mental health issues. Our only hope is repatriation,” said a source.
While families who are in Qatar are allowed meetings once a week or sometimes twice a week, phone calls are permitted for families back home in India.
“Families have also been seeking an appointment to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Though some tentative dates were given (January 3rd and 7th), it didn’t happen due to his hectic schedule. However, they are continuously putting in requests for the same,” the source added.
While family members have filed papers for the appeal, they aren’t aware yet on when the first hearing would take place in the cassation court.
The cassation court is the highest court of appeal.
The eight naval veterans who are awaiting repatriation are Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vashisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh.
ALSO READ | First appeal filed in Qatar cassation court on behalf of eight Indian naval veterans Follow channel on WhatsApp
NEW DELHI: Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has agreed to grant another consular access to the eight Indian naval veterans on January 14. This will be the fifth consular access since they were detained on August 30, 2022.
It will be the first consular access since the case moved to the cassation court after the death penalty was commuted to prison terms for all eight last month. The last consular access was granted on December 3, 2023.
“Even though the death penalty has been commuted to separate prison terms for all eight naval veterans, we are extremely concerned about their health. We had been hoping for a consular access and heaved a sigh of relief when we learnt it will happen on January 14. With continuous confinement, the health of many has been compromised, some have lost excessive weight due to diabeties and blood pressure issues, while others have mental health issues. Our only hope is repatriation,” said a source.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
While families who are in Qatar are allowed meetings once a week or sometimes twice a week, phone calls are permitted for families back home in India.
“Families have also been seeking an appointment to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Though some tentative dates were given (January 3rd and 7th), it didn’t happen due to his hectic schedule. However, they are continuously putting in requests for the same,” the source added.
While family members have filed papers for the appeal, they aren’t aware yet on when the first hearing would take place in the cassation court.
The cassation court is the highest court of appeal.
The eight naval veterans who are awaiting repatriation are Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vashisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh.
ALSO READ | First appeal filed in Qatar cassation court on behalf of eight Indian naval veterans Follow channel on WhatsApp
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