The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has announced a reduction in the sentences of 8 former Navy men on death row in Qatar

On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi confirmed that the sentences of eight former Indian Navy personnel, currently on death row in Qatar, have been decreased.

In a statement, MEA said the Court of Appeal of Qatar reduced the sentences in the Dahra Global case. It, however, didn't specify what the court said. "We have noted the verdict today of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced...The detailed judgement is awaited," the MEA said in a statement. It said India's Ambassador to Qatar, officials and the family members of the incarcerated ex-Navy personnel were present in the Court of Appeal. "Our Ambassador to Qatar and other officials were present in the Court of Appeal today, along with the family members. We have stood by them since the beginning of the matter and we will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also continue to take up the matter with the Qatari authorities," it added. The arrested personnel are Purnendu Tiwari, Sugunakar Pakala, Amit Nagpal, and Sanjeev Gupta, who are Commanders, and Navtej Singh Gill, Birendra Kumar Verma, and Saurabh Vasisht, who are Captains. The eight is Sailor Ragesh Gopakumar. The charges against them were never made public.