Duplicity of Qatar human rights panel criticised
dubai — The Gulf Association for Rights and Freedom (GARF) and the Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR) slammed the dubious statements made by Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri, the chairman of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in Qatar.
Mohammed Hayef, the spokesman of the GARF, took Dr Al Marri to task for saying his country (Qatar) and the NHRC were the true defenders of human rights and freedom of expression.
According information available on Qatari websites, the NHRC will be organising an international conference on freedom of expression in Doha in collaboration with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI).
Both the GARF and AOHR have sent an official letter on July 15 to Al Marri expressing their intent to take part in the conference at their own expense to present a report they released this year.
The report is entitled “Infringing the freedom of speech and expression in the Arab World…. Qatar is an example”. The GARF spokesman challenged Qatar and the NHRC to set an example by listening to opposite point of view presented in the GARF and AOHR joint report. The NHRC, being an internationally accredited organization, should conform to the standards of Paris principles, Hayef added.
The NHRC, which was not supposed to be a subordinate to the Qatari government, should have independence and competence to invite any organisation even if it is critical of Qatar government record on freedom of speech, the GARF spokesman said.
But contrary to these ideals, the GARF said Qatar had spent millions organising empty international conferences to burnish its miserable image.
Hayef explained some main points of the report that Al Marri, his committee, and Qatar were afraid of.
The report focused on issues such as detaining and trying of a famous Qatari poet, firing of correspondents at Al Jazeera TV channels, shutting down websites, banning the setting up of a journalists syndicate in Qatar and banning publication of news and articles that criticise Qatar.
malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com