| QATAR State of Qatar Dawlat Qatar Joined United Nations: 21 September 1971 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 12/17/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Doha
840,926 (July 2010 est.)
Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani
Prime Minister since 3 April 2007
Prime Minister since 3 April 2007
Monarch is hereditary; Hamad assumed crown when he ousted his
father, Amir Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup;
Tamim is the fourth son of the monarch
Next scheduled election: None
father, Amir Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup;
Tamim is the fourth son of the monarch
Next scheduled election: None
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister appointed by the
monarch
Next scheduled election: None
monarch
Next scheduled election: None
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%
| RELIGIONS |
Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Emirate with 10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Legal system is based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary
system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal
matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: The monarchy is hereditary however Hamad assumed crown when he ousted his father, Amir Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani,
in a bloodless coup; Tamim is the fourth son of the monarch; Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister appointed by the monarch
note: in April 2007, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has limited
consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999
Legislative: Unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had
their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which came into force on 9 June 2005, provides for a 45-member
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the
remaining members; election last held 1 June 2010; next scheduled election: June 2013
Judicial: Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; note - the Amir appoints all judges - based on the recommendation of
the Supreme Judiciary Council - for renewable three-year terms
system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal
matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: The monarchy is hereditary however Hamad assumed crown when he ousted his father, Amir Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani,
in a bloodless coup; Tamim is the fourth son of the monarch; Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister appointed by the monarch
note: in April 2007, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has limited
consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999
Legislative: Unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had
their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which came into force on 9 June 2005, provides for a 45-member
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the
remaining members; election last held 1 June 2010; next scheduled election: June 2013
Judicial: Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; note - the Amir appoints all judges - based on the recommendation of
the Supreme Judiciary Council - for renewable three-year terms
| LANGUAGES |
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
| BRIEF HISTORY |
First signs of human habitation in the Qatar peninsula date from 4000BC. Archaeological expeditions from Denmark (1965), Britain
(1973) and France (1976) found rock carvings and groups of pottery that indicate human presence at that time. Qatar also appears
on ancient maps, a clear sign that travellers and explorers knew of the presence of civilised settlements there. Some historical texts
claim that the first inhabitants of Qatar are the ancient Canaanites, a people known for their trade and navigation skills. Qatar
strategic location on the Arabian Gulf was the main reason for the seasonal migration of Arab tribes from the Arabian Peninsula and
particularly from the Nejd desert. When the ancient Mediterranean flourished with many civilisations, the Arabian Gulf area, with its
strategic location, found commercial prosperity. Many fishing centres like Al Bida, Al Khor, Al Wakra and Al Zubara appeared
which encouraged pearl trading. The Gulf suffered from a commercial decline during the Roman era as trade concentrated in the
Red Sea area. However, from the third century AD the Gulf area regained its important trading position.In the pre-Islamic time, the
peninsula was often dominated by various Persian dynasties, the last of which--the Sasanians, included the peninsula, which they
called Meshmahig ("Big Island") it in their province of Bahran / Bahrain with its capital at Shirin (probably, the modern Qatif) that
included the island of Bahrain and the coastal regions of modern Saudi Arabia. In the Islamic time, this was one of the earliest
locales occupied by the Muslims. Carmatism (Qarmatism) arrived in the area very early in the Islamic time and spread widely as it
did in the neighboring Hasa region. In the medieval times, the Qatar was often than not independent and a participant in the great
Persian Gulf-Indian Ocean commerce. Many races and ideas were introduced into the peninsula from Africa, South and Southeast
Asia, as well as Malayan archipelago. Today, the traces of these early interactions with the oceanic world of Indian Ocean remains
in the existence of small minorities of races, peoples, languages and religions such as the tropic Africans and the Shihus. After
domination by the Ottoman and British empires for centuries, Qatar became an independent state on September 3, 1971. Although
the peninsular land mass that makes up Qatar has sustained humans for thousands of years, for the bulk of its history the arid climate
fostered only short-term settlements by nomadic tribes. Clans such as the Al Khalifa and the Al Saud (which would later ascend
thrones of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively) swept through the Arabian peninsula and camped on the coasts within small
fishing and pearling villages. The British initially sought out Qatar and the Persian Gulf as an intermediary vantage point en route to
their colonial interests in India, although the discovery of oil and other hydrocarbons in the early twentieth century would re-
invigorate their interest. During the nineteenth century, the time of Britain’s formative ventures into the region, the Al Khalifa clan
reigned over the Northern Qatari peninsula from the nearby island of Bahrain to the west. Although Qatar had the legal status of a
dependency, resentment festered against the Bahraini Al Khalifas along the eastern seaboard of the Qatari peninsula. In 1867, the
Al Khalifas launched a successful effort to quash the Qatari rebels sending a massive naval force to Wakrah. However, the Bahraini
aggression was in violation on the 1820 Anglo-Bahraini Treaty. The diplomatic response of the British to this violation set into
motion the political forces that would eventuate in the founding of the state of Qatar. In addition to censuring Bahrain for its breach
of agreement, the British Protectorate (per Colonel Lewis Pelly) asked to negotiate with a representative from Qatar. The request
carried with it a tacit recognition of Qatar’s status as distinct from Bahrain. The Qataris chose as their negotiator the respected
entrepreneur and long-time resident of Doha, Muhammed bin Thani. His clan, the Al Thanis, had taken relatively little part in Gulf
politics, but the diplomatic foray ensured their participation in the movement towards independence and their dominion as the future
ruling family, a dynasty that continues to this day. The results of the negotiations left Qatar with a new-found sense of political
selfhood, although it did not gain official standing as a British protectorate until 1916. The reach of the British Empire diminished
after the Second World War, especially following Indian independence in 1947. Pressure for a British withdrawal from the Arab
emirates in the Gulf increased during the 1950s, and the British welcomed Kuwait's declaration of independence in 1961. When
Britain officially announced in 1968 that it would disengage politically, though not economically, from the Persian Gulf in three years'
time, Qatar joined Bahrain and seven other Trucial States in a federation. Regional disputes however, quickly compelled Qatar to
resign and declare independence from the coalition that would evolve into the seven-emirate United Arab Emirates. On September
3, 1971, Qatar became an independent sovereign state. Since 1995, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has ruled Qatar, seizing
control of the country from his father Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani while the latter vacationed in Switzerland. Under Emir Hamad,
Qatar has experienced a notable amount of socio-political liberalization, including the enfranchisement of women, a new constitution,
and the launch of Al Jazeera, a leading English and Arabic news source, which operates a website and satellite television news
channel. Qatar ranks as the ninth richest country in the world per capita. Qatar served as the headquarters and one of the main
launching sites of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. In 2005, a suicide-bombing killed a British teacher at the Doha Players Theatre,
shocking a country that had not previously experienced acts of terrorism. It is not clear if the bombing was committed by an
organized terrorist group, and although the investigation is ongoing there are indications that the attack was the work of an
individual, not a group.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Qatar
(1973) and France (1976) found rock carvings and groups of pottery that indicate human presence at that time. Qatar also appears
on ancient maps, a clear sign that travellers and explorers knew of the presence of civilised settlements there. Some historical texts
claim that the first inhabitants of Qatar are the ancient Canaanites, a people known for their trade and navigation skills. Qatar
strategic location on the Arabian Gulf was the main reason for the seasonal migration of Arab tribes from the Arabian Peninsula and
particularly from the Nejd desert. When the ancient Mediterranean flourished with many civilisations, the Arabian Gulf area, with its
strategic location, found commercial prosperity. Many fishing centres like Al Bida, Al Khor, Al Wakra and Al Zubara appeared
which encouraged pearl trading. The Gulf suffered from a commercial decline during the Roman era as trade concentrated in the
Red Sea area. However, from the third century AD the Gulf area regained its important trading position.In the pre-Islamic time, the
peninsula was often dominated by various Persian dynasties, the last of which--the Sasanians, included the peninsula, which they
called Meshmahig ("Big Island") it in their province of Bahran / Bahrain with its capital at Shirin (probably, the modern Qatif) that
included the island of Bahrain and the coastal regions of modern Saudi Arabia. In the Islamic time, this was one of the earliest
locales occupied by the Muslims. Carmatism (Qarmatism) arrived in the area very early in the Islamic time and spread widely as it
did in the neighboring Hasa region. In the medieval times, the Qatar was often than not independent and a participant in the great
Persian Gulf-Indian Ocean commerce. Many races and ideas were introduced into the peninsula from Africa, South and Southeast
Asia, as well as Malayan archipelago. Today, the traces of these early interactions with the oceanic world of Indian Ocean remains
in the existence of small minorities of races, peoples, languages and religions such as the tropic Africans and the Shihus. After
domination by the Ottoman and British empires for centuries, Qatar became an independent state on September 3, 1971. Although
the peninsular land mass that makes up Qatar has sustained humans for thousands of years, for the bulk of its history the arid climate
fostered only short-term settlements by nomadic tribes. Clans such as the Al Khalifa and the Al Saud (which would later ascend
thrones of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively) swept through the Arabian peninsula and camped on the coasts within small
fishing and pearling villages. The British initially sought out Qatar and the Persian Gulf as an intermediary vantage point en route to
their colonial interests in India, although the discovery of oil and other hydrocarbons in the early twentieth century would re-
invigorate their interest. During the nineteenth century, the time of Britain’s formative ventures into the region, the Al Khalifa clan
reigned over the Northern Qatari peninsula from the nearby island of Bahrain to the west. Although Qatar had the legal status of a
dependency, resentment festered against the Bahraini Al Khalifas along the eastern seaboard of the Qatari peninsula. In 1867, the
Al Khalifas launched a successful effort to quash the Qatari rebels sending a massive naval force to Wakrah. However, the Bahraini
aggression was in violation on the 1820 Anglo-Bahraini Treaty. The diplomatic response of the British to this violation set into
motion the political forces that would eventuate in the founding of the state of Qatar. In addition to censuring Bahrain for its breach
of agreement, the British Protectorate (per Colonel Lewis Pelly) asked to negotiate with a representative from Qatar. The request
carried with it a tacit recognition of Qatar’s status as distinct from Bahrain. The Qataris chose as their negotiator the respected
entrepreneur and long-time resident of Doha, Muhammed bin Thani. His clan, the Al Thanis, had taken relatively little part in Gulf
politics, but the diplomatic foray ensured their participation in the movement towards independence and their dominion as the future
ruling family, a dynasty that continues to this day. The results of the negotiations left Qatar with a new-found sense of political
selfhood, although it did not gain official standing as a British protectorate until 1916. The reach of the British Empire diminished
after the Second World War, especially following Indian independence in 1947. Pressure for a British withdrawal from the Arab
emirates in the Gulf increased during the 1950s, and the British welcomed Kuwait's declaration of independence in 1961. When
Britain officially announced in 1968 that it would disengage politically, though not economically, from the Persian Gulf in three years'
time, Qatar joined Bahrain and seven other Trucial States in a federation. Regional disputes however, quickly compelled Qatar to
resign and declare independence from the coalition that would evolve into the seven-emirate United Arab Emirates. On September
3, 1971, Qatar became an independent sovereign state. Since 1995, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has ruled Qatar, seizing
control of the country from his father Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani while the latter vacationed in Switzerland. Under Emir Hamad,
Qatar has experienced a notable amount of socio-political liberalization, including the enfranchisement of women, a new constitution,
and the launch of Al Jazeera, a leading English and Arabic news source, which operates a website and satellite television news
channel. Qatar ranks as the ninth richest country in the world per capita. Qatar served as the headquarters and one of the main
launching sites of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. In 2005, a suicide-bombing killed a British teacher at the Doha Players Theatre,
shocking a country that had not previously experienced acts of terrorism. It is not clear if the bombing was committed by an
organized terrorist group, and although the investigation is ongoing there are indications that the attack was the work of an
individual, not a group.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Qatar
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Despite the global financial crisis, Qatar has maintained its economic growth of the last several years. Qatari authorities throughout
the crisis sought to protect the local banking sector with direct investments into domestic banks. The drop in oil prices in late 2008
and the global financial crisis reduced Qatar's budget surplus and slowed the pace of investment and development projects in 2009,
but GDP growth still registered more than 9% for the year and will likely rebound in 2010. Economic policy is focused on
developing Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors, but oil
and gas still account for more than 50% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas
have made Qatar the second highest per-capita income country - following Liechtenstein - and the world's second fastest growing -
following Macau. Proved oil reserves of 15 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for 37 years. Qatar's
proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, about 14% of the world total and third largest in the world.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Qatar)
the crisis sought to protect the local banking sector with direct investments into domestic banks. The drop in oil prices in late 2008
and the global financial crisis reduced Qatar's budget surplus and slowed the pace of investment and development projects in 2009,
but GDP growth still registered more than 9% for the year and will likely rebound in 2010. Economic policy is focused on
developing Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors, but oil
and gas still account for more than 50% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas
have made Qatar the second highest per-capita income country - following Liechtenstein - and the world's second fastest growing -
following Macau. Proved oil reserves of 15 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for 37 years. Qatar's
proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, about 14% of the world total and third largest in the world.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Qatar)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
In Qatar, the ruling Al Thani (الثاني) family continued to hold power following the declaration of independence in 1971. The head of
state is the Emir, and the right to rule Qatar is passed on within the Al Thani family. Politically, Qatar is evolving from a traditional
society into a modern welfare state. Government departments have been established to meet the requirements of social and
economic progress. The Basic Law of Qatar 1970 institutionalized local customs rooted in Qatar's conservative Wahhabi heritage,
granting the Emir preeminent power. The Emir's role is influenced by continuing traditions of consultation, rule by consensus, and the
citizen's right to appeal personally to the Emir. The Emir, while directly accountable to no one, cannot violate the Shari’a (Islamic
law) and, in practice, must consider the opinions of leading notables and the religious establishment. Their position was
institutionalized in the Advisory Council, an appointed body that assists the Emir in formulating policy. There is no electoral system.
Political parties are banned.
The influx of expatriate Arabs has introduced ideas that call into question the tenets of Qatar's traditional society, but there has been
no serious challenge to Al Thani rule.
On June 27, 1995, the Deputy Ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa, deposed his father Emir Khalifa in a bloodless coup. Emir Hamad
and his father reconciled in 1996. Increased freedom of the press followed, and the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television channel
(founded late 1996) is widely regarded as the only example of free and uncensored source of news in Arab countries.
Qatar is developing into a constitutional monarchy, but it doesn't allow political parties nor hold elections on a national level yet.[1]
Suffrage is currently limited to municipal elections (for both males and females aged 18 years or more). Expatriate residents are
excluded. The elected Municipal Council has no executive powers but may offer advice to the Minister.
The State is gradually increasing popular participation in public affairs. The draft constitution envisages a partially elected Advisory
Council, to review legislation and advise the Amir.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Qatar
state is the Emir, and the right to rule Qatar is passed on within the Al Thani family. Politically, Qatar is evolving from a traditional
society into a modern welfare state. Government departments have been established to meet the requirements of social and
economic progress. The Basic Law of Qatar 1970 institutionalized local customs rooted in Qatar's conservative Wahhabi heritage,
granting the Emir preeminent power. The Emir's role is influenced by continuing traditions of consultation, rule by consensus, and the
citizen's right to appeal personally to the Emir. The Emir, while directly accountable to no one, cannot violate the Shari’a (Islamic
law) and, in practice, must consider the opinions of leading notables and the religious establishment. Their position was
institutionalized in the Advisory Council, an appointed body that assists the Emir in formulating policy. There is no electoral system.
Political parties are banned.
The influx of expatriate Arabs has introduced ideas that call into question the tenets of Qatar's traditional society, but there has been
no serious challenge to Al Thani rule.
On June 27, 1995, the Deputy Ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa, deposed his father Emir Khalifa in a bloodless coup. Emir Hamad
and his father reconciled in 1996. Increased freedom of the press followed, and the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television channel
(founded late 1996) is widely regarded as the only example of free and uncensored source of news in Arab countries.
Qatar is developing into a constitutional monarchy, but it doesn't allow political parties nor hold elections on a national level yet.[1]
Suffrage is currently limited to municipal elections (for both males and females aged 18 years or more). Expatriate residents are
excluded. The elected Municipal Council has no executive powers but may offer advice to the Minister.
The State is gradually increasing popular participation in public affairs. The draft constitution envisages a partially elected Advisory
Council, to review legislation and advise the Amir.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Qatar
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
None reported.
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
None reported.
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
None reported.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Report: Qatar
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Qatar is a constitutional monarchy headed by Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. The population is approximately 1.8 million, of
whom approximately 225,000 are citizens. The emir exercises full executive power. The 2005 constitution provides for continued
hereditary rule by the emir's male branch of the Al-Thani family. Shari'a (Islamic law) is the main source of legislation. The emir
approves or rejects legislation after consultation with the appointed 35-member Advisory Council and cabinet. There are no elections for
national leadership, and the law forbids political parties. In 2007 citizens elected the 29 members of the Central Municipal Council.
Reports based on monitoring by the government-appointed National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and informal observations by
diplomatic missions noted no apparent irregularities. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of security forces.
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Qatar is a constitutional monarchy headed by Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. The population is approximately 1.8 million, of
whom approximately 225,000 are citizens. The emir exercises full executive power. The 2005 constitution provides for continued
hereditary rule by the emir's male branch of the Al-Thani family. Shari'a (Islamic law) is the main source of legislation. The emir
approves or rejects legislation after consultation with the appointed 35-member Advisory Council and cabinet. There are no elections for
national leadership, and the law forbids political parties. In 2007 citizens elected the 29 members of the Central Municipal Council.
Reports based on monitoring by the government-appointed National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and informal observations by
diplomatic missions noted no apparent irregularities. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of security forces.
- Citizens lacked the right to change the leadership of their government by election.
- There were prolonged detentions in overcrowded and harsh facilities, often ending in deportation.
- The government placed restrictions on civil liberties, including freedoms of speech, press (including the Internet), assembly,
association, and religion. - Foreign laborers faced restrictions on foreign travel.
- Trafficking in persons, primarily in the labor and domestic worker sectors, was a problem.
- Legal, institutional, and cultural discrimination against women limited their participation in society.
- The unresolved legal status of "Bidoons" (stateless persons with residency ties) resulted in discrimination against these noncitizens.
- Authorities severely restricted worker rights, especially for foreign laborers and domestic servants.
14 October 2009
Committee on the Rights of the Child
Fifty-second session
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 44 of the Convention
Concluding observations: Qatar
A. Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the State party’s second periodic report (CRC/C/QAT/2) as well as the written
replies to its list of issues (CRC/C/QAT/Q/2/Add.1). It also notes with appreciation the constructive dialogue held with the cross-sectoral
delegation on the progress made and challenges encountered in implementing the provisions enshrined in the Convention.
3. The Committee reminds the State party that these concluding observations should be read in conjunction with its concluding
observations adopted on the State party’s initial reports to the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the sale of children, child
prostitution and child pornography (CRC/OPSC/QAT/CO/1) and on the involvement of children in armed conflict
(CRC/OPAC/QAT/CO/1), respectively, in June 2006 and in October 2007.
B. Follow-up measures undertaken and progress achieved by the State party
4. The Committee welcomes positive developments in the reporting period, including the adoption of a number of legislative
instruments, undertaken with a view to implementing the Convention, such as:
(a) The Permanent Constitution of the State of Qatar in 2004;
(b) The Labour Code No. 14 of 2004, which contains articles on child labour;
(c) The Civil Code No. 22 of 2004 which affords protection to children;
C. Main subjects of concern and recommendations
1. General measures of implementation (articles 4, 42 and 44, paragraph 6 of the Convention)
The Committee’s previous recommendations
7. The Committee notes that a number of concerns and recommendations made upon the consideration of the State party’s initial
report have been addressed. However, it regrets that some of its concerns and recommendations have been insufficiently or only partly
addressed.
8. The Committee urges the State party to take all necessary measures to address those recommendations from the concluding
observations on the initial report (CRC/C/15/Add.163) adopted in October 2001 that have not yet been implemented or sufficiently
implemented, including those related to a national plan of action, best interests of the child, definition of the child and juvenile justice. The
Committee invites the State party to undertake adequate follow-up to the recommendations contained in the present concluding
observations on the second periodic report.
Click here to read more »
Committee on the Rights of the Child
Fifty-second session
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 44 of the Convention
Concluding observations: Qatar
A. Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the State party’s second periodic report (CRC/C/QAT/2) as well as the written
replies to its list of issues (CRC/C/QAT/Q/2/Add.1). It also notes with appreciation the constructive dialogue held with the cross-sectoral
delegation on the progress made and challenges encountered in implementing the provisions enshrined in the Convention.
3. The Committee reminds the State party that these concluding observations should be read in conjunction with its concluding
observations adopted on the State party’s initial reports to the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the sale of children, child
prostitution and child pornography (CRC/OPSC/QAT/CO/1) and on the involvement of children in armed conflict
(CRC/OPAC/QAT/CO/1), respectively, in June 2006 and in October 2007.
B. Follow-up measures undertaken and progress achieved by the State party
4. The Committee welcomes positive developments in the reporting period, including the adoption of a number of legislative
instruments, undertaken with a view to implementing the Convention, such as:
(a) The Permanent Constitution of the State of Qatar in 2004;
(b) The Labour Code No. 14 of 2004, which contains articles on child labour;
(c) The Civil Code No. 22 of 2004 which affords protection to children;
C. Main subjects of concern and recommendations
1. General measures of implementation (articles 4, 42 and 44, paragraph 6 of the Convention)
The Committee’s previous recommendations
7. The Committee notes that a number of concerns and recommendations made upon the consideration of the State party’s initial
report have been addressed. However, it regrets that some of its concerns and recommendations have been insufficiently or only partly
addressed.
8. The Committee urges the State party to take all necessary measures to address those recommendations from the concluding
observations on the initial report (CRC/C/15/Add.163) adopted in October 2001 that have not yet been implemented or sufficiently
implemented, including those related to a national plan of action, best interests of the child, definition of the child and juvenile justice. The
Committee invites the State party to undertake adequate follow-up to the recommendations contained in the present concluding
observations on the second periodic report.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In The World 2010 Report
Political Rights Score: 6
Civil Liberties Score: 5
Status: Not Free
Overview
Five years after agreeing to hold legislative elections for the Consultative Council, Qatar again failed to do so in 2009. As a result of
government pressure, the director of the Doha Center for Media Freedom, an institution devoted to promoting free speech and protecting
journalists, resigned in July.
Central Municipal Council elections were held again in 2003. Also that year, Qatari voters overwhelmingly approved a constitution that
slightly broadened the scope of political participation without eliminating the monopoly on power enjoyed by the ruling family. Most
rights in the new constitution do not apply to noncitizen residents, who form a majority of the population.
In 2007, citizens again voted for the Central Municipal Council, choosing 29 members from 125 candidates. One woman was elected.
Turnout reached 51 percent, a considerable improvement over 2003, when just 30 percent of the eligible electorate voted. In July 2008,
the emir appointed a new cabinet that included two women.
Qatar has hosted U.S. military forces for a number of years, and the U.S. presence grew significantly after 2001. The country has faced
severe criticism in the region for its ties to the United States and its tentative links with Israel.
Qatar is not an electoral democracy. The head of state is the emir, currently Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, whose family has a monopoly
on political power. The emir appoints a prime minister and cabinet. The constitution states that the emir appoints an heir after consulting
with the ruling family and other notables. Voters elect local government representatives with limited powers over municipal services;
these representatives report to the appointed minister of municipal affairs and agriculture. Under the constitution, which was ratified by
public referendum in 2003 and promulgated by the emir in 2004, elections are to be held for 30 of the 45 seats in a new Consultative
Council; the emir has the power to appoint the other 15 members. However, the elections had yet to be held at the end of 2009. The
existing 35-member Consultative Council is entirely appointed.
Only a small percentage of the country’s population—about 200,000 people out of 1,409,000 residents—is permitted to vote or hold
office. The government does not permit the existence of political parties.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 6
Civil Liberties Score: 5
Status: Not Free
Overview
Five years after agreeing to hold legislative elections for the Consultative Council, Qatar again failed to do so in 2009. As a result of
government pressure, the director of the Doha Center for Media Freedom, an institution devoted to promoting free speech and protecting
journalists, resigned in July.
Central Municipal Council elections were held again in 2003. Also that year, Qatari voters overwhelmingly approved a constitution that
slightly broadened the scope of political participation without eliminating the monopoly on power enjoyed by the ruling family. Most
rights in the new constitution do not apply to noncitizen residents, who form a majority of the population.
In 2007, citizens again voted for the Central Municipal Council, choosing 29 members from 125 candidates. One woman was elected.
Turnout reached 51 percent, a considerable improvement over 2003, when just 30 percent of the eligible electorate voted. In July 2008,
the emir appointed a new cabinet that included two women.
Qatar has hosted U.S. military forces for a number of years, and the U.S. presence grew significantly after 2001. The country has faced
severe criticism in the region for its ties to the United States and its tentative links with Israel.
Qatar is not an electoral democracy. The head of state is the emir, currently Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, whose family has a monopoly
on political power. The emir appoints a prime minister and cabinet. The constitution states that the emir appoints an heir after consulting
with the ruling family and other notables. Voters elect local government representatives with limited powers over municipal services;
these representatives report to the appointed minister of municipal affairs and agriculture. Under the constitution, which was ratified by
public referendum in 2003 and promulgated by the emir in 2004, elections are to be held for 30 of the 45 seats in a new Consultative
Council; the emir has the power to appoint the other 15 members. However, the elections had yet to be held at the end of 2009. The
existing 35-member Consultative Council is entirely appointed.
Only a small percentage of the country’s population—about 200,000 people out of 1,409,000 residents—is permitted to vote or hold
office. The government does not permit the existence of political parties.
Click here to read more »
PUBLIC STATEMENT
9 June 2010
Qatar: Amnesty International calls for freedom of expression guarantees, and an end to discrimination against women and
sexual violence against domestic workers
United Nations Human Rights Council adopts Universal Periodic Review outcome on Qatar
Amnesty International welcomes Qatar’s engagement with the Universal Periodic Review and its support for a number of key
recommendations, in particular its support of recommendations to consider ratifying the ICCPR and the ICESCR; Amnesty International
urges Qatar to ratify the Covenants without delay and without entering any reservations.
The organization further calls on Qatar to implement key recommendations to lift restrictions on the rights to freedom of opinion and
expression and to take steps to promote freedom of the press in all forms of media.In this regard, it encourages Qatar to repeal
provisions that criminalize legitimate forms of freedom of expression, such as those in the Law on Press and Publication that prescribe
imprisonment for criticizing the Emir, for writing about the armed forces without permission and for offending divine religions, as well
as those in the Penal Code that punish blasphemy and consensual “illicit sexual relations”.
Amnesty International regrets Qatar’s rejection of recommendations to review and repeal laws that discriminate against women. It calls
on Qatar to reconsider these recommendations and to repeal or amend laws on guardianship, which restrict women’s freedom of
movement or discriminate against them in relation to nationality.
Amnesty International welcomes Qatar’s support of recommendations to improve the protection of female domestic workers against
violence and sexual abuse. The organization is concerned, however, that key recommendations to reform legislation on sponsorship have
been rejected.
Amnesty International also regrets that Qatar rejected recommendations made by five states to establish an official moratorium on the
use of the death penalty with a view to abolishing it,8and calls on the government to urgently reconsider its position on these
recommendations.
Finally, Amnesty International welcomes Qatar’s support of the recommendation to continue to ensure fair trials. In implementing this
recommendation, the organization also urges Qatar to ensure an end to the use of arbitrary detention without charge or trial, including in
the context of counter-terrorism and public security.
Click here to read more »
9 June 2010
Qatar: Amnesty International calls for freedom of expression guarantees, and an end to discrimination against women and
sexual violence against domestic workers
United Nations Human Rights Council adopts Universal Periodic Review outcome on Qatar
Amnesty International welcomes Qatar’s engagement with the Universal Periodic Review and its support for a number of key
recommendations, in particular its support of recommendations to consider ratifying the ICCPR and the ICESCR; Amnesty International
urges Qatar to ratify the Covenants without delay and without entering any reservations.
The organization further calls on Qatar to implement key recommendations to lift restrictions on the rights to freedom of opinion and
expression and to take steps to promote freedom of the press in all forms of media.In this regard, it encourages Qatar to repeal
provisions that criminalize legitimate forms of freedom of expression, such as those in the Law on Press and Publication that prescribe
imprisonment for criticizing the Emir, for writing about the armed forces without permission and for offending divine religions, as well
as those in the Penal Code that punish blasphemy and consensual “illicit sexual relations”.
Amnesty International regrets Qatar’s rejection of recommendations to review and repeal laws that discriminate against women. It calls
on Qatar to reconsider these recommendations and to repeal or amend laws on guardianship, which restrict women’s freedom of
movement or discriminate against them in relation to nationality.
Amnesty International welcomes Qatar’s support of recommendations to improve the protection of female domestic workers against
violence and sexual abuse. The organization is concerned, however, that key recommendations to reform legislation on sponsorship have
been rejected.
Amnesty International also regrets that Qatar rejected recommendations made by five states to establish an official moratorium on the
use of the death penalty with a view to abolishing it,8and calls on the government to urgently reconsider its position on these
recommendations.
Finally, Amnesty International welcomes Qatar’s support of the recommendation to continue to ensure fair trials. In implementing this
recommendation, the organization also urges Qatar to ensure an end to the use of arbitrary detention without charge or trial, including in
the context of counter-terrorism and public security.
Click here to read more »
UAE: Meetings Should Address Migrant Workers’ Rights
(Abu Dhabi, January 20, 2008)
When labor ministers from 22 Asian and Middle Eastern countries meet in Abu Dhabi this week to discuss Asian contract migrant
workers, they should address widespread violations of migrant workers’ rights, Human Rights Watch said today.
The labor-sending countries attending the Colombo Process include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan,
the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. The countries of destination include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates,
Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Yemen, as well as Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore.
When labor ministers from 22 Asian and Middle Eastern countries meet in Abu Dhabi this week to discuss Asian contract migrant
workers, they should address widespread violations of migrant workers’ rights, Human Rights Watch said today.
Both labor-sending and labor-receiving countries benefit from migration, but abuse of workers’ rights remains rampant. These abuses
include recruitment-related deception, unpaid wages, confiscation of passports, and, in some instances, physical violence.
On January 21 and 22, the United Arab Emirates will host the labor ministers in the latest round of the Colombo Process, a series of
regional consultative meetings of government officials focused on issues relating to Asian contract migrant workers. On January 23 and
24, these discussions will continue in the Gulf Forum on Temporary Contractual Labor. This is the first time a labor-receiving country is
hosting the Colombo Process.
“It is encouraging that representatives from countries that send and receive migrant workers will sit at the same table,” said Nisha Varia,
senior researcher for the women’s rights division of Human Rights Watch. “To make the talks successful, officials must tackle badly
flawed immigration policies and gaps in labor laws that expose migrants to abuse.”
Tens of millions of Asian men and women work as fixed-contract migrant workers in both Asia and the Middle East, typically in
domestic work, construction, manufacturing and agriculture. These workers meet the very high demand for cheap labor in countries
such as Saudi Arabia, and send home billions of dollars in remittances to their home countries. For example, Indians living abroad sent
home US$24.6 billion in fiscal year 2006. In Sri Lanka, remittances are the second-highest source of foreign exchange.
Click here to read more »
(Abu Dhabi, January 20, 2008)
When labor ministers from 22 Asian and Middle Eastern countries meet in Abu Dhabi this week to discuss Asian contract migrant
workers, they should address widespread violations of migrant workers’ rights, Human Rights Watch said today.
The labor-sending countries attending the Colombo Process include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan,
the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. The countries of destination include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates,
Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Yemen, as well as Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore.
When labor ministers from 22 Asian and Middle Eastern countries meet in Abu Dhabi this week to discuss Asian contract migrant
workers, they should address widespread violations of migrant workers’ rights, Human Rights Watch said today.
Both labor-sending and labor-receiving countries benefit from migration, but abuse of workers’ rights remains rampant. These abuses
include recruitment-related deception, unpaid wages, confiscation of passports, and, in some instances, physical violence.
On January 21 and 22, the United Arab Emirates will host the labor ministers in the latest round of the Colombo Process, a series of
regional consultative meetings of government officials focused on issues relating to Asian contract migrant workers. On January 23 and
24, these discussions will continue in the Gulf Forum on Temporary Contractual Labor. This is the first time a labor-receiving country is
hosting the Colombo Process.
“It is encouraging that representatives from countries that send and receive migrant workers will sit at the same table,” said Nisha Varia,
senior researcher for the women’s rights division of Human Rights Watch. “To make the talks successful, officials must tackle badly
flawed immigration policies and gaps in labor laws that expose migrants to abuse.”
Tens of millions of Asian men and women work as fixed-contract migrant workers in both Asia and the Middle East, typically in
domestic work, construction, manufacturing and agriculture. These workers meet the very high demand for cheap labor in countries
such as Saudi Arabia, and send home billions of dollars in remittances to their home countries. For example, Indians living abroad sent
home US$24.6 billion in fiscal year 2006. In Sri Lanka, remittances are the second-highest source of foreign exchange.
Click here to read more »
Joint Press Statement
Issued 30 November 2010 at the launch of the Humanitarian Appeal 2011 in Doha, Qatar, by the State of Qatar, the United
Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR).
Next year, millions of people affected by humanitarian crises around the world will look to the international community to address their
basic survival needs and provide services that will allow them to maintain a measure of human dignity even in the worst of
circumstances.
The Humanitarian Appeal 2011, consisting of 14 individual Consolidated Appeals addressing the needs across 28 countries, is the
humanitarian community’s response to this urgent call.
Globally, the Consolidated Appeal requests US$7.4 billion to assist 50 million people who have been victimized by natural disasters,
conflict and displacement. These people already suffer or face an imminent threat of malnourishment, disease, or violence.
If adequately and timely funded, projects in the Appeal 2011 will allow the humanitarian community to help the survivors with nutritious
food to eat, clean water to drink, proper sanitation facilities, shelter to protect against freezing temperatures or blistering heat, medical
services, mine clearance, education and protection of the children and agricultural inputs to re-start their own food production, to name
some of the main types of projects.
The Appeal 2011, however, not only provides a catalogue of projects that the international donor community can support, as they have
generously done in the past. The Appeal devises coordinated strategies for action based on rigorous analyses of the humanitarian
situation and the needs of the affected men, women and children. Interventions are designed and coordinated to ensure that gaps are
covered and that costly and inefficient duplication of efforts is avoided.
2010 was a rare year of two mega-disasters, the Haiti earthquake and the floods in Pakistan. Governmental and non-governmental
donors rose to the challenge, allocating some $13 billion in international humanitarian funding, the most ever recorded in a single year.
Of this, the peer-reviewed and coordinated projects in Consolidated and Flash Appeals have attracted a record $6.6 billion.
Our call today is to maintain and hopefully increase this level of generosity in 2011. The humanitarian organizations have devised their
strategies and designed their projects in partnership with governments and with the participation of the beneficiaries in the affected
countries. They stand ready to assist.
We urge the international community - governments, organizations, individuals and private funds and charities - to listen to the call of the
millions in need and provide the relief and rehabilitation necessary through the humanitarian organizations working on the ground, in the
midst of the emergencies, striving to fulfill the noble humanitarian mandate of addressing human suffering wherever it is found.
We all have our individual roles to play. What bind us together are strong and enduring partnerships in the service of humanity.
Click here to read more »
Issued 30 November 2010 at the launch of the Humanitarian Appeal 2011 in Doha, Qatar, by the State of Qatar, the United
Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR).
Next year, millions of people affected by humanitarian crises around the world will look to the international community to address their
basic survival needs and provide services that will allow them to maintain a measure of human dignity even in the worst of
circumstances.
The Humanitarian Appeal 2011, consisting of 14 individual Consolidated Appeals addressing the needs across 28 countries, is the
humanitarian community’s response to this urgent call.
Globally, the Consolidated Appeal requests US$7.4 billion to assist 50 million people who have been victimized by natural disasters,
conflict and displacement. These people already suffer or face an imminent threat of malnourishment, disease, or violence.
If adequately and timely funded, projects in the Appeal 2011 will allow the humanitarian community to help the survivors with nutritious
food to eat, clean water to drink, proper sanitation facilities, shelter to protect against freezing temperatures or blistering heat, medical
services, mine clearance, education and protection of the children and agricultural inputs to re-start their own food production, to name
some of the main types of projects.
The Appeal 2011, however, not only provides a catalogue of projects that the international donor community can support, as they have
generously done in the past. The Appeal devises coordinated strategies for action based on rigorous analyses of the humanitarian
situation and the needs of the affected men, women and children. Interventions are designed and coordinated to ensure that gaps are
covered and that costly and inefficient duplication of efforts is avoided.
2010 was a rare year of two mega-disasters, the Haiti earthquake and the floods in Pakistan. Governmental and non-governmental
donors rose to the challenge, allocating some $13 billion in international humanitarian funding, the most ever recorded in a single year.
Of this, the peer-reviewed and coordinated projects in Consolidated and Flash Appeals have attracted a record $6.6 billion.
Our call today is to maintain and hopefully increase this level of generosity in 2011. The humanitarian organizations have devised their
strategies and designed their projects in partnership with governments and with the participation of the beneficiaries in the affected
countries. They stand ready to assist.
We urge the international community - governments, organizations, individuals and private funds and charities - to listen to the call of the
millions in need and provide the relief and rehabilitation necessary through the humanitarian organizations working on the ground, in the
midst of the emergencies, striving to fulfill the noble humanitarian mandate of addressing human suffering wherever it is found.
We all have our individual roles to play. What bind us together are strong and enduring partnerships in the service of humanity.
Click here to read more »
QATAR MARKS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
Doha, December 11, 2010 (QNA)
The State of Qatar has joined the world countries in celebrating the international Human Rights Day which falls on December 10 every
year. HE the Chairman of Qatar National Human Rights Committee Dr. Ali Bin Smaikh Al-Marri has underlined that the International
Human Rights Declaration is viewed as a bulwark against oppression and discrimination, and a basis for the protection of human dignity
worldwide.
In a speech he gave on the occasion, Dr. Al-Marri said the principles it contains represent the common denominator, which should be
targeted by all peoples and nations with their different cultures, creeds, civilizations and beliefs.
He added that peoples and nations should place this declaration constantly before their eyes, to the end that every individual in the society
should work to promote respect for these rights and freedoms, through awareness and education, and confirmation of the exercise as
well as taking national, regional and global actions to ensure their recognition and observance in an effective universal way for individuals
and peoples and between States.
He added that the celebration of the anniversary of the publication of the International Declaration of Human Rights is an important
humanitarian achievement as it included most of the laws that the humanity had struggled for them since the dawn of history throughout
the ages, stressing the importance that the celebration of this day at the national level should not be an annual tradition only, "but rather a
creative occasion to confirm our adherence to the principles of human rights as inalienable rights inherent in our society, and an integral
part of our culture and civilization requiring further progress in the area of equality development, well-being as well as the enhancement
and protection of human rights.
Click here to read more »
Doha, December 11, 2010 (QNA)
The State of Qatar has joined the world countries in celebrating the international Human Rights Day which falls on December 10 every
year. HE the Chairman of Qatar National Human Rights Committee Dr. Ali Bin Smaikh Al-Marri has underlined that the International
Human Rights Declaration is viewed as a bulwark against oppression and discrimination, and a basis for the protection of human dignity
worldwide.
In a speech he gave on the occasion, Dr. Al-Marri said the principles it contains represent the common denominator, which should be
targeted by all peoples and nations with their different cultures, creeds, civilizations and beliefs.
He added that peoples and nations should place this declaration constantly before their eyes, to the end that every individual in the society
should work to promote respect for these rights and freedoms, through awareness and education, and confirmation of the exercise as
well as taking national, regional and global actions to ensure their recognition and observance in an effective universal way for individuals
and peoples and between States.
He added that the celebration of the anniversary of the publication of the International Declaration of Human Rights is an important
humanitarian achievement as it included most of the laws that the humanity had struggled for them since the dawn of history throughout
the ages, stressing the importance that the celebration of this day at the national level should not be an annual tradition only, "but rather a
creative occasion to confirm our adherence to the principles of human rights as inalienable rights inherent in our society, and an integral
part of our culture and civilization requiring further progress in the area of equality development, well-being as well as the enhancement
and protection of human rights.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM ARABIC BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Qatar: British citizen, languishing in jail without charge, despite the court order to release him
Posted on: July 11, 2010
Dignity calls for the immediate release of British citizen Mohammed Farouk al-Mahdi, a former employee at a bank in Doha, who was
detained without charge or trial by the prosecution in Doha since 15 October 2009. Following the arrest of Mr. Ali Mahdi in October
2009, the authorities immediately booking the property of his family, leaving his wife and children in serious financial difficulties. The
wife said: "born our child only a few weeks before the arrest of my husband where Muhammad had not seen his son for more than nine
months, and since then it has been freezing all our properties," said the wife of Mr. Mohammed: "Now I work full-time to secure the
required care for my children."
The Constitution provides for the country, frankly, in its article 36 that (Personal freedom is guaranteed. No person may be arrested or
detained, searched, or to determine or restrict the freedom of residence in the residence or movement except in accordance with the
provisions of the Act). This was the Court of Appeals in Doha, on 31 May 2010, ordered the release of Mr. Mahdi, however this is still
last in prolonged arbitrary detention at a police station in the capital Doha.
Thus, the non-release of Mr. Mahdi, after more than ten months of arbitrary detention, despite repeated legal petitions submitted by the
family to eliminate the country, is a clear violation of the Constitution of the country as well as international treaties on human rights
binding on the Government of the country.
Dignity and notes that it is preparing a case for submission to the Working Group on arbitrary detention of the United Nations.
Click here to read more>>
Qatar: British citizen, languishing in jail without charge, despite the court order to release him
Posted on: July 11, 2010
Dignity calls for the immediate release of British citizen Mohammed Farouk al-Mahdi, a former employee at a bank in Doha, who was
detained without charge or trial by the prosecution in Doha since 15 October 2009. Following the arrest of Mr. Ali Mahdi in October
2009, the authorities immediately booking the property of his family, leaving his wife and children in serious financial difficulties. The
wife said: "born our child only a few weeks before the arrest of my husband where Muhammad had not seen his son for more than nine
months, and since then it has been freezing all our properties," said the wife of Mr. Mohammed: "Now I work full-time to secure the
required care for my children."
The Constitution provides for the country, frankly, in its article 36 that (Personal freedom is guaranteed. No person may be arrested or
detained, searched, or to determine or restrict the freedom of residence in the residence or movement except in accordance with the
provisions of the Act). This was the Court of Appeals in Doha, on 31 May 2010, ordered the release of Mr. Mahdi, however this is still
last in prolonged arbitrary detention at a police station in the capital Doha.
Thus, the non-release of Mr. Mahdi, after more than ten months of arbitrary detention, despite repeated legal petitions submitted by the
family to eliminate the country, is a clear violation of the Constitution of the country as well as international treaties on human rights
binding on the Government of the country.
Dignity and notes that it is preparing a case for submission to the Working Group on arbitrary detention of the United Nations.
Click here to read more>>
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Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani
Amir since 27 June 1995
Amir since 27 June 1995
Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa
al-Thani
Heir Apparent since 5 August 2003
al-Thani
Heir Apparent since 5 August 2003
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
Current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but
are subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers, and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual
exploitation; the most common offense was forcing workers to accept worse contract terms than those under which they were
recruited; other conditions include bonded labor, withholding of pay, restrictions on movement, arbitrary detention, and physical,
mental, and sexual abuse
Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the Government of Qatar does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in February 2009, Qatar enacted a new migrant worker sponsorship
law that criminalizes some practices commonly used by trafficking offenders, and it announced plans to use that law effectively to
prevent human trafficking; punishment for offenses related to trafficking in persons remains lower than that for crimes such as rape
and kidnapping, and the Qatari government has yet to take significant action to investigate, prosecute, and punish trafficking
offenses; the government continues to lack formal victim identification procedures and, as a result, victims of trafficking are likely
punished for acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked (2009)
are subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers, and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual
exploitation; the most common offense was forcing workers to accept worse contract terms than those under which they were
recruited; other conditions include bonded labor, withholding of pay, restrictions on movement, arbitrary detention, and physical,
mental, and sexual abuse
Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the Government of Qatar does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in February 2009, Qatar enacted a new migrant worker sponsorship
law that criminalizes some practices commonly used by trafficking offenders, and it announced plans to use that law effectively to
prevent human trafficking; punishment for offenses related to trafficking in persons remains lower than that for crimes such as rape
and kidnapping, and the Qatari government has yet to take significant action to investigate, prosecute, and punish trafficking
offenses; the government continues to lack formal victim identification procedures and, as a result, victims of trafficking are likely
punished for acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked (2009)
Abdallah bin Hamad al-Atiyah
Deputy Prime Minister since 3 April 2007
Deputy Prime Minister since 3 April 2007
