A Qatari dissident has accused the government in Doha of double standards, saying it persecutes the state’s Al Ghofran tribe at home while supporting terrorism abroad.
Speaking at a conference of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Hamad Khalid Almary criticised the Qatari regime’s support of Yusuf Al Qaradawi. He said that the Egyptian exile, who has long been seen as a spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and lives in Qatar, has issued fatwas to incite the killing of civilians abroad.
Mr Almary said that while Qatar has indulged Qaradawi, the government has denied his Al Ghofran tribe of their human rights and visited “injustice” on its own people.
Members of the tribe have been stripped of their citizenship and access to some services, and are unable to leave Qatar for fear of not being allowed to return.
The conference, “Terrorism and human rights in Egypt: compensation for victims of terrorism and the role of Qatar in its support”, also heard calls for a firm stand against terror-supporting countries.
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Dr Hafez Abu Saada, President of the EOHR, called on the international community to work together closely with the countries that are fighting terrorism, including Egypt, in accordance with the UN Security Council that mandates countries to co-operate in intelligence sharing and prohibiting the free passage of terrorist leaders.
He said that the EOHR “has adopted the victims of terrorism and filed lawsuits demanding their rights for compensation from countries supporting terrorism, headed by Qatar, as evidenced by their financing of terror activities in Egypt that led to a great number of deaths and injuries”.
Dr Salah Salam, a member of the National Council of Human Rights in Egypt, said that terrorism in Sinai targets peaceful citizens and everyone who co-operates with the state in confronting terrorism. He stressed that even mosques were targets for terrorists in Egypt, and beyond.
“Despite the vicious hand of terrorism, the international indicators show that Egypt is on its way towards a future that is brighter and more secure,” he said.
Alaa Shalabi, Secretary-General of the Arab Organisation for Human Rights, said that a decisive confrontation with terrorism is needed to prevent the deaths of more innocent victims and urged the international community to punish countries that support terrorism.
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