Geneva / Information Office / February 26  

HE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani called on Human Rights Council to end the violations resulting from the illegal siege and the unilateral coercive measures taken by the siege countries against the Qatari people, and to hold accountable those responsible for these violations while compensating the victims.

Speaking on Monday during the high-level segment of the 37th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, HE the deputy prime minister and foreign minister said that he briefed the council during its previous session on the repercussions and violations of human rights due to the illegal and "unilateral coercive measures" taken by the siege countries against the Qatari people.

"This was reaffirmed in the last report of the technical mission of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)) after visiting the State of Qatar in November," HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said.

"It included an objective description of the grave and flagrant violations of human rights by the siege countries against the citizens and residents, be it in the State of Qatar or in their own countries, and this continues to this very day.

"Stemming from the just legal position of the State of Qatar and to protect its legitimate rights, I call from this rostrum the Human Right Council and all its mechanisms, especially special procedures, to shoulder their responsibilities and to work on putting an end to violation of human rights as a result of these racist unilateral coercive measures. Those who are responsible must be held accountable and victims must be compensated."

"It is very strange that the countries that have imposed these unilateral measures on my country are states that are co-sponsors of the Human Rights Council resolution on human rights and unilateral coercive measures. Some are members of this council.

"This strange behavior in dealing with the resolutions of this council shows grave contradiction between the convictions of these states and their positions in the council on the other hand. This undermines the credibility of these countries and also undermines the work of the council itself. We must work on saving the reputation and credibility of this council," HE the deputy prime minister and foreign minister added.

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani expressed regret over the grave and flagrant violations of human rights in many regions of the world despite the increasing global interest in protecting these rights. 

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that the world faces serious challenges in the spread of armed conflicts and increasing unrest due to acts of violent extremism, fanaticism, and terrorism as well as the use of unilateral forcible measures that violate international law, human rights charters and the principle of peaceful relations between states. He explained that all these have a negative effect on human rights and deprive many individuals and communities of their fundamental rights and freedoms as laid down in the international human rights charters.

HE the deputy prime minister and foreign minister described what the Syrian people in Eastern Ghouta are exposed to by the current regime with the whole world witnessing as a stain on humanity and reveals the extent to which this regime is indifferent to international law and international humanitarian law in addition to the brutality of barbaric practices where human rights are being wasted.

He pointed out that the U.N. mechanisms for international peace and security had failed to do their part to protect the rights of the Syrian people. He called on the international community to take all necessary measures against the Syrian regime to implement the Security Council resolutions related to the ceasefire and the protection of the Syrian people in addition to intensify efforts to stop the systematic policy of killing, oppression, war crimes and crimes against humanity and to bring the perpetrators of these outrageous crimes to international justice.

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani stressed the need for the international community, especially the Security Council, to shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities and to abandon selectivity in order to reach a political settlement for the Syrian crisis in accordance with the Geneva I statement to achieve the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people for freedom, justice, and dignity.

HE the deputy prime minister and foreign minister called on the international community to provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people in order to meet the urgent needs, stressing that the State of Qatar will spare no effort in providing assistance.

He also called on the international community to strive to protect the rights of the Palestinian people and realize the two-state solution agreed by the international community in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy, the Arab Peace Initiative and other international references, in addition to ending the occupation and establishing the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that the Palestinian people still live under occupation, adding that these oppressed people have gone through wars and afflictions.

He added that in addition to the fact that the occupation itself was a violation of the values of freedom and peaceful coexistence of human civilization, the decades of Israeli occupation had been accompanied by a wide range of illegal practices that constituted a clear violation of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.

HE the deputy prime minister and foreign minister stressed the need for Israel to stop these violations and the use of brutal military force against innocent civilians as well as lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip, and to stop the policy of settlement. 

HE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani called on all Yemeni parties to engage positively towards achieving genuine national reconciliation that would end the ongoing conflict and put an end to the suffering and gross violations of the rights of Yemeni people.

He Further called on the international community to exert all efforts to implement the Security Council resolutions relating to Yemen, including resolution 2216 of (2015), take all measures to address the serious humanitarian situation faced by the Yemeni people and facilitate the access of humanitarian assistance to various Yemeni regions in addition to preventing the use of such assistance for political gain to any party.

HE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister affirmed that the protection and promotion of human rights are at the top of the State of Qatar's priorities. He pointed out that Qatar continues its efforts in this regard at the institutional and legislative levels to implement its National Vision 2030 with all its economic, social, political and cultural dimensions to achieve a comprehensive and integrated development based on safeguarding human dignity as well as on promoting and protecting human rights in the framework of justice and equality and the consolidation of all basic freedoms.

His Excellency noted that the State of Qatar has made wide strides, achieved many of the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development goals, and occupied leading position, at a regional level, in the recent human development reports.

He said that the State of Qatar is currently preparing the legislative tools necessary for the elections of the Shura Council in the framework of promoting popular participation.

He pointed out that the legislative and service structure witnessed significant developments to provide a decent livelihood for the guests of Qatar who are participating in building its renaissance, pointing out that about 2.4 million workers have benefited from the wages protection system according to the statistics of October 2017.

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that the State of Qatar is currently planning to adopt the National Plan for Human Rights, noting that its adoption will be in accordance with international standards in this regard.

He said out that the State of Qatar continues its efforts to promote and protect human rights through positive engagement with all countries as well as related regional and international institutions. He further pointed out that Qatar continues with all its humanitarian governmental and non-governmental institutions to provide development and humanitarian assistance to those in need due to disasters and conflicts in many parts of the world.

He affirmed Qatar's continued commitment to preserving, promoting and protecting human rights at the local, regional and international levels.

HE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that Qatar would continue its policy of constructive international cooperation, including support of the UN HRC in order to assist in achieving its noble objectives.