Hours after a Qatar court of appeal commuted the death penalty handed to eight former Indian Navy personnel, their families and colleagues reacted cautiously, saying the verdict Thursday is not yet a vindication or success.

The families are moving the Court of Cassation, the highest court of appeal in Qatar, even as they await a copy of the detailed judgement Thursday — in New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs said sentences have been reduced for the eight men.

Six appeal hearings have been held so far — three in the court of appeal and three in the lower court. The families are waiting to learn about the option of prisoner repatriation to India for the eight men.

“The Emir’s pardon can only be applied after the highest court rules on the judgement. This will likely take another three months before a (plea for) pardon can be filed,” a relative of one of the eight men told The Indian Express.

According to family members, the eight men were present in the court Thursday but were not around when the judgement was pronounced.

“They will likely hear from families in their weekly calls or in a meeting with the lawyer and embassy officials in the coming week. They get to make three calls a week,” the relative said.

It typically takes 60 days to file an appeal, but the legal team is not wasting any time in filing the appeal right away, family members said.

Friends of the former Navy personnel told The Indian Express that developments in the past 40 days (beginning with three appeals in the court of appeal) helped commute the death sentence and that the attorney representing the men is filing an appeal in the Court of Cassation.

“The Indian government has been extremely supportive and the embassy in Qatar has played a vital role in the appeal process. While each of the naval officers received varied sentences, the appeal process will be filed jointly, just as before,” said Commander Rajiv Sardana (Retd), a family friend of Captain Navtej Singh, one of the eight Indian nationals.

He said the charges continue to remain confidential since it is a highly sensitive matter between the two countries.

“All the family members of the eight veterans were in Doha for the hearing. They got to hear the judgement from the lawyer in the presence of the Indian ambassador,” he said.

“There is a long legal battle ahead. But with the support of the Indian Navy and the MEA, the families are hopeful that the officers will be back in India soon,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)