Geneva - information office - 9 July

As part of its national efforts and international relations, the State of Qatar stressed that it attaches great importance to promote the values of equality, tolerance, justice and to reject intolerance, discrimination and racism, based on its firm conviction that peaceful coexistence depends on respect for human dignity that constitutes the basis for justice, peace and development.

This came in the statement of the State of Qatar in the general debate under agenda item 9 of the 41st session of the Human Rights Council, which addresses racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance. The statement was delivered by HE the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva Ambassador Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri.

Ambassador Al Mansouri expressed regret that more than 70 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which laid the foundations for these principles and values, the world is still suffering from practices that violate this Declaration and strike its values.

The session of the Human Rights Council came two years after the blockade and the unilateral coercive and discriminatory measures imposed by some countries of the region on the State of Qatar and its citizens since June 5, 2017, Ambassador Al Mansouri said, calling on Human Rights Council and its relevant mechanisms to act effectively and take the necessary action to stop human rights violations resulting from these measures and hold those responsible accountable.

Ambassador Al Mansouri expressed concern about the violations committed by states, some of them are known for their bleak human rights records which have been proved by reports submitted to the Council. He also referred to fears that Qatari citizens and those who have ties to the State of Qatar may be exposed to further violations of their rights and freedoms if effective action is not taken to end such measures.

Racism and racial discrimination are the worst practices in humanity because of their direct impact on human dignity, life, security and stability, he added.

Al Mansouri stressed that the State of Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the racist practices and harassment that have been faced by refugees, migrants and Muslim minorities in some countries by various means, including legislative measures and governmental policies, just for their ethnic origin or religious affiliation.

He warned of practices fueled by hate speech of some politicians and right-wing party leaders that fuel unwarranted hostility and violence against these groups and work to eliminate them socially, resulting in further vulnerability and violation of their rights and freedoms.

At the end of the session, Ambassador Ali Al Mansouri called on the Human Rights Council and all governments and relevant stakeholders to confront these racist trends by all means and to take effective measures to eliminate them and ensure that they are not repeated.