Arab Federation for Human Rights denounces Qatar’s authoritarian practices

The Arab Federation for Human Rights, AFHR, has expressed profound concern over Qatar’s continuous campaign of repression and persecution against peaceful dissidents in the Gulf State since June 5th 2017, the start date of the Arab boycott due to its support and funding for terrorism.

The Geneva - based federation denounced, in a statement released today, Qatar’s authoritarian practices against its opponents without any legal and arbitrary justification. It called on the UN Human Rights Council to intervene urgently to protect the peaceful opposition by Qatari citizens from the continuous violations of their rights by the ruling regime which has turned into a dictatorial and oppressive regime.

"This system of repression against peaceful dissidents is in regards to the opposition and the abuse of the ruling regime and its policies, which is in flagrant violation of all international laws, charters and conventions," said the statement.

AFHR called for an investigation into the abuses committed by the regime against those demanding political reforms and the resolution of dispute with its Gulf neighbours.

The federation urged the Qatari government to stop its flagrant violations of human rights principles and practices against its political opponents such as arbitrary detention, withdrawal of nationality, raiding houses and palaces, freezing assets and threatening the use of chemical weapons.

"Critics of the Qatari government’s policy toward their brothers from neighboring Gulf and Arab states have not carried out any terrorist or illegal acts," read the statement.

AFHR called on the Qatari authorities to respect the freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all relevant international human rights instruments.