The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) is extremely concerned by the Qatari authorities’ decision to strip 600 Qatari nationals – members of the Al Ghafran tribe – of their nationality. This decision is a flagrant violation of international human rights instruments, particularly article 15 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The decision seems to have been taken in order collectively punish the tribe following a 1996 coup attempt carried out by some of its members. If it was indeed taken for this reason, it violates widely acknowledged and implemented principles of criminal justice including the principle individual criminal responsibility. This decision is therefore a crime against humanity as embodied in the founding statute of the International Criminal Court – persecution of a specific group of the population.
Increasing ACIJLP’s concern about this decision is the fact that its true motive may have been to banish members of the tribe from Qatar – which represents another crime falling within the ICC’s jurisdiction, that of forcible transfer of a section of the population.
ACIJLP points out that the Qatari citizens against whom this decision was issued have not been charged with any offence, and nor have they been brought before any legal body for investigation or trial.
ACIJLP urges the concerned international bodies – especially United Nations Human Rights Commission to call on the Qatari authorities to reverse this decision.
ACIJLP equally urges the Qatari authorities to renounce this decision and honour its fundamental obligation to guarantee its citizens’ rights and freedoms in implementation of their rights under international instruments.
