State of Qatar
Head of state: al-Shaikh Hamad Ibn Khalifa Al-Thani
Head of government: al-Shaikh Abdullah Ibn Khalifa Al-Thani
Capital: Doha
Population: 0.6 million
Official language: Arabic
Death penalty: retentionist
Restrictions on freedom of expression continued to be enforced. At least one possible prisoner of conscience was sentenced to a prison term. The Court of Appeal increased the sentences of 19 political prisoners from life imprisonment to capital punishment. Past allegations of torture remained without investigation and there were new allegations.
Restrictions on freedom of expression
In June three men related to the ruling family attacked Ahmad Ali, the editor of Al Watan newspaper, leaving him injured and unconscious. The assault took place after his newspaper published articles criticizing government policies. The attackers were arrested by the police but released a few days later, reportedly after a settlement was reached between them and the victim.
Despite earlier assurances that no one would be prevented from entering Qatar to demonstrate peacefully, representatives of several non-governmental organizations were reportedly denied visas at the time of a World Trade Organization ministerial conference there in November. Those who were given visas to travel to Qatar complained that they were denied access to conference delegates and their right to demonstrate was limited.
A draft law on publishing, still before the Consultative Council (Majlis al-Shura) at the end of 2001, reportedly contained clauses stipulating harsh punishments, including imprisonment, for vaguely worded offences and failed to provide safeguards for freedom of expression.
Possible prisoner of conscience
- 'Abd al-Rahman bin 'Amir al-Na'imi, detained without charge or trial since June 1998, was released in April. He had been arrested after he criticized aspects of government policy in a petition to the Consultative Council.
Investigations did not take place into allegations of torture made by prisoners in previous years, including those sentenced in connection with a failed coup attempt in 1996.
- In March Lu'ay Muhammad Abdullah, a US national of Palestinian origin and a possible prisoner of conscience, was sentenced by Qatar City Court to two years' imprisonment on charges of "publicly insulting the ruler". The court found that he had "insulted the leaders of Qatar" on a website. He was allegedly beaten and forced to stand on one foot with his hands raised during interrogation. The sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeal in June.
- In May the Court of Appeal increased the sentences from life imprisonment to capital punishment on 19 prisoners convicted following the 1996 coup attempt. At least 20 others had prison sentences increased to life imprisonment and 28 had their convictions overturned. The prosecution had appealed after the trial before a lower court ended in February 2000. The 19 included a Saudi Arabian national who had been acquitted at the trial.
In October the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child considered Qatar's initial report on the implementation of the UN Children's Convention. It expressed concern about the inconsistencies of the juvenile justice system with the Convention. It also raised concerns about the trafficking of children for the purposes of camel racing and the health risks involved. In its recommendations, the Committee requested that Qatar withdraw its reservations on several articles of the Convention and review laws and practices to bring them into line with the Convention.
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