Geneva – Information Office – 14 September

The State of Qatar has asserted that since June it has been subjected to unilateral coercive measures and unjust siege by some countries in the region, which have resulted in serious and persistent violations of human rights that have not yet received sufficient consideration and attention from the mechanisms of the United Nations Human Rights Council, except for the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression who commented on these measures from the perspective of his mandate, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who expressed his views on these measures professionally and clearly.

This came in a speech delivered by HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri, during the 36th session of the Human Rights Council (item 3), within the framework of the interactive dialogue with the independent expert on a democratic and equitable international order and the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights.

HE the Ambassador said that the State of Qatar sent on 3 July an official letter to a number of special procedures, headed by the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of coercive measures, containing documented information for several cases that constituted a blatant example of the human rights violations that accompanied these coercive measures and siege. "Unfortunately, we have not received any response or comment," he added.

He went on saying "On August 30, we again addressed the Special Rapporteur on coercive measures, explaining the size and magnitude of these ongoing violations, and expressing our surprise that he has not expressed his opinion."

"We regret that until now, the Special Rapporteur has not expressed any opinion, especially as the issue is directly related to his mandate," HE Ambassador Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri said.

He asked the Special Rapporteur, in the context of the dialogue on the issue of remedies and compensation for victims of violations of coercive measures, "How can remedies and redress for victims of human rights violations caused by the coercive measures imposed on the State of Qatar be provided, if the Special Rapporteur does not recognize these violations or those affected by them?"