Qatar 2022 World Cup: Five Keys to Understanding Criticism of Gulf Country Football Festival

Qatar, a small country in the Persian Gulf, has been under intense public scrutiny ever since it was chosen to host the World Cup, one of the most important sporting events in the world, which has been heavily criticized for its Domestic politicsrestrictive with individual freedoms, labor rights and respect for minorities.

Various international NGOs such as Amnesty International (AI) or Human Rights Watch (HRW) have condemned the situation with human rights in an Arab country based on extensive research and numerous sources.

Doha responded to each report, noting that he had changed many of his rules and that some of his methods World they have already changed.

However, although these improvements have been recognized and appreciated, and the situation in the country is in many respects better than in its immediate neighborsall authoritarian monarchies with strict observance of Islam, the situation is still negative in many aspects.

RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS

In May 2022, AI and a coalition of organizations launched a campaign calling for Qatar Nonetheless FIFA that they are setting up a comprehensive reparation program for hundreds of thousands of workers who have suffered abuses such as illegal payroll, non-payment of wages, injury and, in the worst case scenario, death.

The key to this situation is the institution of “kafala” or patronage, whereby migrants entering a country do so under the responsibility of their employer, who retains rights such as keeping a passport, wages, and deciding whether a person can or cannot change work as soon as there.

Thus, the employee depends on the good will of the employer in almost everything, including in returning home.

In addition, this is exacerbated by the fact that labor intermediary companies are usually the ones who bring these migrants into the country, which increases additional costs for the worker and allows employers to “ignore” any problems that may arise.

Qatari Employment Minister Ali bin Samih Al Marri defended Brussels Within a week, your country has already paid compensation to the families of the victims. migrant workers who died or were injured during construction work for the World Cup and denied the need for a special fund, with contributions from FIFAas required by human rights organizations.

British newspaper investigation Guardian estimated at 6,500 construction deaths World since 2010.

Qatar says $350 million in compensation has been paid since 2018, which he called on organizations human rights “naming” people who did not receive compensation, instead of talking about general numbers.

CIVIL LIBERTY

Migrants are still prohibited from forming or joining trade unions, but they are allowed to form mixed committees, an employers’ initiative to ensure worker representation.

To date, this initiative is optional and covers only 2% of workers, which is far from being in line with the basic right to form and join trade unions, according to NGOs.

In August 2022, hundreds of migrants were detained and deported after protests in Doha after their company repeatedly stopped paying their salaries, according to Amnesty.

Qatar it has few independent or critical media outlets, as the authorities restrict freedom of the press.

According to the latest Reporters Without Borders (RSF) classification, Qatar It ranks 119th out of 180 countries in terms of press freedom.

The organization stressed that the traditional press Qatar notable for “homogeneity of coverage, with identical front-page headlines covering the official activities of the Emir and his inner circle”, while “a small grain of pluralism can be found in public media written in different languages. and run by expatriates like Doha News.”

Qatar It is home to numerous media outlets, including the international Al Jazeera network, which has been harassed and restricted in several countries in the region for its independent coverage.

However, RSF notes that with respect to Qatarthe network is “sufficiently funded to ignore issues that would embarrass” its sponsor.

WOMEN IN QATAR

Like all countries Persian Gulfwomen continue to be discriminated against under the law in the country.

Under the guardianship system, women need permission from their male guardian, who is usually their husband, father, brother, grandfather, or uncle, to get married, study abroad on a government scholarship, travel abroad only if she is under 25, and even access reproductive health.

Their presence in politics is minimal, and in everyday life, Qatari women are rarely seen in public. The reality is that foreign or non-Arab women have social privileges that local women do not.

LGBTI

Article 296 Criminal Code Katari makes it clear: “Inciting, inciting or seducing a man in any way to commit sodomy” and “Inciting or seducing a man or woman in any way to commit illegal or immoral acts” are punishable by imprisonment for a term of one to three years. in prison. The term “immoral acts” is not defined.

Islamic law it is also enforced in the country, so sexual relations between men can lead to the death penalty.

DEATH SENTENCE

Unlike their neighbors in the Persian Gulf, Qatar The death penalty has not been applied for many years, which will not happen until it is ratified by the Qatari emir.

EFE