We are ready to hand the Secretary General of the Cooperation Council a complete file on documented violations of human rights of gulf peoples

The blockade will remain a black point in the history of the Gulf Cooperation Council

Immediate Ending the suffering of the victims is a top priority regardless of efforts and initiatives to solve the crisis politically

A widespread failure and total inability of the Arab and Gulf mechanisms for human rights to redress the victims and provide redress for them

The Cooperation Council is required to review its human rights system, which has failed to stop violations of the rights of peoples

Members of the House of Representatives called on Pompeo to take immediate measures to force the blockading states to stop their punitive measures

Representatives are able to urge the American administration to take measures to stop the 1000-day blockade

The blockading states try to cover up their failure by punishing civilians who are not guilty of a political dispute between governments

Washington on Saturday, February 29, 2020

Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al-Marri, Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee, called on the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council to assume its responsibilities in dealing with the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the blockade of Qatar 1000 days, stressing “the National Committee’s readiness to hand over the new Secretary-General a complete file on the consequences of the siege, And the human suffering it causes 1000 days ago, we hope that it will be ended immediately, as a top priority, regardless of the efforts and initiatives to solve the crisis politically.

In a statement on the sidelines of his visit to the American capital, Washington, Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al-Marri said: “We hope that H.E. Dr. Nayef Falah M. Al-Hajraf. Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, can play an effective role to solve the crisis in its humanitarian aspect in the first place, According his duties and the internal system of the Cooperation Council, and to rectify the failure and total inability of the Gulf and Arab mechanisms for human rights to redress the victims and provide reparations for them since the beginning of the blockade imposed on Qatar since June 2017. ” Al Marri added: “We at the National Human Rights Committee are ready to cooperate with the Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council and deliver a complete file on the humanitarian repercussions of the crisis, including documented violations of the rights of citizens and residents in the State of Qatar and the Gulf states as a whole.” Al Marri stressed that “the blockade will remain a black point in the history of the Gulf Cooperation Council, not only because of its profound humanitarian impact on Gulf society; but also because the Gulf citizens were shocked by the inability of their official institutions to resolve the crisis. Unfortunately, He concluded, “Regardless of the outcomes of the negotiations and the political course of the crisis, the Gulf Cooperation Council should review its human rights system that has failed to address the grave and serious violations of the rights of the peoples of the region.”

Congressional representatives condemn the punishment of civilians on the pretext of a political dispute

On the other hand, Dr. Al-Marri affirmed that members of the U.S. House of Representatives addressed Mr. Michael Richard Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, to urge him to move and take effective and immediate measures to stop the blockade imposed on Qatar and put an end to the grave violations affecting citizens and residents of Qatar, pointing out that the deputies In Congress expressed their indignation and rejection of the continuation of punitive measures that affect civilians in the State of Qatar and depriving them of their political rights, under the pretext of a political dispute! Within his series of official meetings in Washington, Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al-Marri met with a number of members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Congressman Timothy Floyd Burchett, the oldest member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and member of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights, Congressman Billy Long, Co-Chair of the US-Qatar Strategic Relations assembly, Congressman Raja Krishenmorte, member of US House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Congressman Jim Langevin, member of the US House Armed Services Committee; Congressman Rick Larsen, member of the US House Armed Services Committee; Congressman Eric Swalwell former presidential candidate and member of the US House Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernisation and Readiness; Congressman Adam Smith, Chairman of the US House Armed Services Committee.

Dr. Al Marri also met with Congressman Alan Lowenthal, executive member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. He thanked him for the commission’s positions, calling on the Commission to take more moves and educating the American community about the implications of the blockade imposed on Qatar.

During his meetings with the members of the US House of Representatives, Dr. Al-Marri presented an overview of the repercussions of the blockade, warning of the grave consequences resulting from the continued human suffering of thousands of citizens and residents, not only in Qatar but in all the GCC countries. Responding to questions from members of the US House of Representatives about the moves taken by NHRC, Dr. Al Marri provided an overview of the efforts being made at the judicial and legal levels, pointing out that the NHRC is committed to its promises to the victims not to renounce the prosecution and condemnation of the blockading states until the victims are compensated and provided redress. Al Marri added the people of Qatar have lived through 1,000 days of violations against the Gulf people, intransigence in harming the citizens and residents, and reprisals and collective punishments that the blockading countries failed to find a justification. Al Marri added that it’s hard to assess the extent and nature of damage and suffering of the people of the region as a result of decisions of the blockading countries to cover up their failure by punishing civilians who have nothing to do with political disputes between governments. On the expected role of the House of Representatives of the US Congress to stop the suffering of those affected by the blockade, Dr. Al-Marri said that the representatives of parliaments in the world have a great responsibility to defend people who are subject to serious violations of their rights. Al Marri explained that he visited the US repeatedly and called for making more efforts to urge the US administration to take effective measures and pressure the blockading countries to stop their violations that have lasted for 1,000 days. Al Marri concluded by saying that NHRC looks forward to a greater role for the world’s parliaments to put an end to human rights violations, , affirming our full confidence that the legal measures taken before international bodies will inevitably lead to international condemnation and compensation to the victims.