DAMMAM, 23 May 2007 — Qatari authorities have refused to release the Saudi fishing vessels detained more than 50 days ago without giving any explanation for the renewed refusal.
“The criminal court, which looked into the case, refused to release the vessels without specifying the reason or the relevant legal point on the basis of which the ships were kept in custody,” an informed source told Arab News yesterday.
It was reported earlier that the Qatari Coast Guard seized seven Saudi fishing vessels on charges of trespassing into that country’s waters.
The source said there is no legal basis for the Qatari authorities’ detention of the ships even after the willingness of the sailors to pay the fine. The source, however, linked the refusal to release the ships to the court’s fining of the Indian captains of the vessels. They have been asked to pay 50,000 Qatari riyals in fine.
The legal firm that is dealing with the case said it is preparing to submit a petition to the Qatari public prosecutor in Doha explaining the situation and requesting the release of the vessels without delay.
The court had earlier let go of the 34 Indian sailors in the ship observing that only the captains of the ship be detained following the captains’ admission of their violations and their willingness to comply with the decision of the court to pay 50,000 Qatari riyals for each vessel as a fine.
