Prolongation of the crisis does not serve the peoples of the blockading countries themselves, the highest priority is to lift violations, compensate the victims and hold perpetrators to account
The countries of the blockade have violated human rights in a manner that is unacceptable to law and morality
Brussels : 9 March 2018
Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al-Marri, president of the National Human Rights Committee in Qatar, stressed that through the National Human Rights Commission’s moves and meetings with human rights officials and international organizations. This came during the meetings held with minister and officials of the ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belgium, and Mr. Roberto Storce, Chairman of the Working Group on the Middle East and North Africa in the External Affairs Commission, and Mr. Colin Siklina, Deputy Executive Director of the Middle East and North Africa at the External Action Service of the European Union.
Dr. Al-Marri discussed the repercussions of the blockade on human rights during the meetings, and stated that “There is no loser in this crisis except the people in the Gulf region. People have been suffering for 10 months from the violations of their human rights and their hope is to regain their legitimate rights and return to their normal life as before the blockade”. The unjust continuation of the blockade even after 10 months does not serve anybody, rather it breaks the social fabric of peaceful coexistence of people in the region. It’s very clear that the blockade imposed on Qatar on June 5 last year lacks international legitimacy and is based on demands that violate conventions and charters of international law, human rights and freedom of opinion and expression. It affected civil, economic, social and cultural rights of people.
The worst case of human rights violations are in the fields of family dispersal as well as the disruption of education of students. When the blockading countries cut ties and imposed air, land and sea blockade, they also asked Qatari citizens in their countries and their citizens in Qatar to leave within 14 days, including students, patients, businessmen, mixed family members and owners of livestock.
It’s unfair and a gross violation of human rights that universities and other educational institutions are involved into these matters. It’s against all kinds of respect of international laws guaranteeing the rights of students. “Education is one of the basic human rights granted by laws to all people regardless of any political, economic, social or cultural differences or disputes,” said the QNHRC in a report. The report reveals that 213 Qatari students were forced to discontinue their education including (130 students from United Arab Emirates), (55 students from Saudi Arabia) and (28 students from Bahrain), as well 706 students were forced by their countries to leave Qatar and Qatar University
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