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NHRC releases report on first anniversary of blockade

Graphic: Dr. Ali Bin Samikh Al-Marri, NHRC Chairperson

​More than 4,100 cases of human rights violations have been recorded since the start of the blockade of Qatar in June 2017, the NHRC reported.

More than 4,100 cases of human rights violations involving Qataris and citizens of other countries have been recorded since the start of the blockade of Qatar a year ago, the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) reported.

Releasing its Fifth General Report, the NHRC reported:

  • 1,297 cases involving violations of the right to movement
  • 1,234 cases involving violations of the right to property
  • 646 cases involving violations of the right to family reunification,
  • 513 cases involving violations of the right to education.

"This is in addition to 37 violations of the right to health care, 165 violations of the right to practice religious rites and 110 violations of the right to work," the NHRC said in its report.

The NHRC also reported three instances of arbitrary detention and one case of enforced disappearance.

On 5 June 2017, three Gulf countries – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Bahrain – and the Arab Republic of Egypt cut diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar.

Qatari citizens and residents were required leave those territories within 14 days, and the citizens of the Gulf countries and Egypt were also required to leave Qatar within the same deadline.

This decision resulted in the closure of sea, land and air routes to trade and residents of Qatar.

"That decision was undertaken with complete disregard of all the repercussions and legal, human rights and humanitarian consequences, constituting a series of grave violations to human rights," the NHRC report said.

"The Committee has worked since the beginning of the blockade to counter the violations to the rights of individuals, reduce their negative impact on human rights, and seek redress and compensation for victims of these violations."

The Fifth General Report describes the number and type of violations recorded by the NHRC (between 5 June 2017 and 23 May 2018) and examines legal issues raised by the blockade.

It also includes recommendations to a wide range of parties, including the international community, the Human Rights Council, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Government of Qatar.

"The NHRC will continue to update this basic report as long as the blockade continues, and the flow of complaints from victims continue to be submitted," the report said.

Date: 5 June 2018


Image credits

  1. Dr. Ali Bin Samikh Al-Marri, NHRC Chairperson - National Human Rights Committee of Qatar