DOHA — A Qatari court has released eight former Indian naval officers previously on death row for unspecified charges.

Seven of the men have already returned to India, Delhi's foreign ministry said on Monday.

In January, authorities said their death sentences had been converted into prison sentences of "varying" lengths.

Neither Qatar nor India revealed the charges against the men, who were working for Dahra Global, a private firm in Qatar.

But Financial Times and Reuters have reported that the men were charged with spying for Israel.

"We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals," Delhi's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Last October, India had said it was "deeply shocked" after the Court of First Instance in Qatar sentenced the men to death.

The foreign ministry said it would explore all legal options and later filed an appeal against the sentence.

The arrest of the men had made front-page headlines in India in 2022. — BBC