A lawyer for an American couple sentenced to jail in Qatar over charges they starved their 8-year-old adopted daughter to death said today their defense team will keep pursuing efforts to allow the family to leave the Gulf nation while their case is appealed.
Matthew and Grace Huang were originally jailed in January 2013 and faced charges of murder following the death of their daughter, Gloria.
They were released from prison last November, but were banned from leaving Qatar during their trial.
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A court in the natural gas-rich OPEC nation sentenced the California couple to three years behind bars on March 27.
They only learned that they had been convicted on a lesser child endangerment charge when the official judgement was released last week, according to a US-based member of their legal team, Randy Peretti.
The Huangs say their adopted daughter, who was born in Ghana, died of medical problems complicated by unusual eating habits that included periods of binging and self-starvation.
Defense witnesses have testified that the girl appeared healthy and active just days before her death.
Lawyers for the couple have vowed to appeal the case, a process that got underway this week.
Peretti told The Associated Press that members of the legal team have filed an intent to appeal the verdict but have yet to submit an appellate brief with supporting evidence.
