Qatar Claims ‘Siege Resulting In Serious, Ongoing Human Rights Violations’

Qatar claimed that since June it has been subjected to unilateral coercive measures and an “unjust siege by some countries in the region,” in reference to the sanctions imposed by Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The four nations allege that Qatar is supporting extremism in the region, a claim that Qatar denies.

In addition, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri said that these actions have resulted in serious and persistent violations of human rights that they have not yet received sufficient consideration and attention from the mechanisms of the United Nations Human Rights Council, except for the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression who commented on these measures from the perspective of his mandate, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who expressed his views on these measures professionally and clearly.

Al Mansouri’s comments were made in a speech delivered during the 36th session of the Human Rights Council.

Ambassador Al Mansouri said that Qatar sent on July 3 an official letter to a number of special procedures, headed by the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of coercive measures, containing documented information for several cases that constituted a blatant example of the human rights violations that accompanied these coercive measures and siege. “Unfortunately, we have not received any response or comment,” Al Mansouri said.

Al Mansouri added  that, “On August 30, we again addressed the Special Rapporteur on coercive measures, explaining the size and magnitude of these ongoing violations, and expressing our surprise that he has not expressed his opinion.”

“We regret that until now, the Special Rapporteur has not expressed any opinion, especially as the issue is directly related to his mandate,” Al Mansouri said.

Al Mansouri asked the Special Rapporteur, in the context of the dialogue on the issue of remedies and compensation for victims of violations of coercive measures, “How can remedies and redress for victims of human rights violations caused by the coercive measures imposed on the State of Qatar be provided, if the Special Rapporteur does not recognize these violations or those affected by them?”