DOHA: National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Secretary- General Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah reaffirmed that the unjust siege of Qatar is a flagrant violation of the basic human rights of citizens and residents as well as citizens of the GCC states, noting that it constitutes a blatant attack on all values and principles enshrined in international human rights conventions.
Speaking during the ceremony that NHRC organised on Wednesday to mark one year of the siege, Al Attiyah said that the countries that imposed the siege have used a serious precedent in terms of punitive measures against citizens and residents of Qatar as a tool for political pressure and management of political differences, which amounts to collective punishment affecting individuals and properties.
“We committed ourselves at NHRC since the beginning of the siege crisis to carry out our humanitarian and legal duty, to strive to lift this unjust siege and address its negative, dangerous and frightening consequences and effects on human rights conditions, lift the injustice of tens of thousands of victims, and redress and compensate those affected,” Al Attiyah said.National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Secretary- General Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah noted that NHRC has already made significant progress in this regard and has the determination to continue its legal moves and move forward at the international and regional levels in cooperation with all international mechanisms, bodies and organizations. QNA reported.
She thanked all human rights organizations that cooperated with the committee in this area, notably the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Office of Special Procedures of the United Nations, the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and international human rights non-governmental organizations, in order to show the suffering of victims through responsible professional work in addressing all the phases of the crisis, and through its reports that reflected the serious humanitarian situation of the siege victims, which resulted in an international public opinion that sides with the suffering of the victims and those affected by the inhuman siege.
Al Attiyah said that NHRC believes that the cause in this crisis is the issue of human rights, which cannot be compromised, is not subject to settlements, and does not end with the end of the political crisis but extends until the rights return to their people. “hence, it was our duty to work together to expose the violations caused by the crisis”.
Al Attiyah explained that despite all the challenges that resulted from this crisis, it has created beautiful stories of national solidarity and solidarity, and successes at the social and economic levels. It also created a strong opportunity to promote human rights in the State of Qatar by joining more international conventions and enacting national legislation.
Despite all the challenges that resulted from the crisis, the NHRC secretary general said, it has created beautiful stories of national and popular solidarity, and successes at the social and economic levels. It also created a strong opportunity to promote human rights in the State of Qatar by joining more international conventions and enacting national legislations, she added.
Al Attiyah stressed that MHRC will continue with resolve and will not stop until the unjust siege is lifted and the victims are compensated.
For her part, Dr. Wafaa Al Yazidi, a Qatari mother and divorcee of a Bahraini national who is one of the siege victims, said that the siege era represents a crisis and a family break from the outside and steadfastness, and dignity from the inside for each member of her family, which represents just one of thousands of cases that had their share of the violations and multidimensional effects insistently left behind by the siege countries.
Dr. Al Yazidi added that this is reflected in the attempt by these countries to target the nucleus of the Gulf society and undermine Islamic law and the content of international, Arab and Gulf covenants as well as the blatant disregard for the ties of kinship and unity of fate that bring all Gulf peoples together.
In turn, Mohammed Al Kuwari, one of the success stories during the siege and a Qatari entrepreneur, highlighted his experiment during the siege, especially in the food sector in terms of food and medicine manufacturing with products and services that compete with international companies in quality and price.
Al Kuwari said that the year of siege has been the best in terms of achievements, expressing pride in what the Qatari industries accomplished in meeting the needs of the local market in a climate of rule of law and equality.
