LONDON: Qatari exiles gathered at a conference in the UK on Thursday called for international assistance to end their 鈥渟uffering,鈥� a day after it emerged that Doha had stripped 55 nationals of citizenship.
The opposition event was held in London amid high security, with some speaking about their plight publicly for the first time.
In a panel discussion chaired by the veteran BBC journalist John Simpson, one Qatari exile described how he had been stripped of his citizenship.
Mohammed Al-Murri made a plea for 萝莉视频 and the UK to help. He asked the UK, with its history of democracy, to address the human rights issues in Qatar in order to 鈥減ut an end to our suffering,鈥� he told the conference.
鈥淎ll of us were deprived of our passports 鈥� It is impossible for us to accept this,鈥� he said.
It emerged earlier this week that Qatar has stripped 55 members of the Al-Murrah tribe of their citizenship, including its head Sheikh Taleb, in a move slammed as 鈥渃ollective punishment鈥� by human rights groups. It follows a previous move by Doha to force 6,000 tribal members to flee the country, according to reports.
Al-Murri claimed to be related to Sheikh Taleb, although this could not immediately be independently verified. 鈥淯nfortunately the Qataris took away the nationality from the 鈥� tribe,鈥� he told the conference in London. 鈥淓ven though we are Qataris through and through, we are suffering.鈥�
Al-Murri said his father had been imprisoned in Qatar, while he had not been able to see his mother before she died. 鈥淢y father was tortured,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y mother suffered from cancer until she died, but we could not visit her 鈥� We have been suffering for decades now and we would like to see a solution.鈥�
Al-Murri was addressing the 鈥淨atar, Global Security & Stability Conference,鈥� which was held amid the diplomatic row between Qatar and the Anti-Terror Quartet 鈥� 萝莉视频, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.
Opposition member Khalid Al-Hail, spokesman for the Qatar National Democratic Party and organizer of the conference, reiterated claims that Qatar supports terror groups. Doha denies the charges. 鈥淚 represent the voice that is not being listened to by the world 鈥� The voice of the Qatari people,鈥� he said.
Al-Hail said that Qatar supports terror groups like Al-Nusra Front 鈥� which is now known as Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham 鈥� along with Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.
鈥淨atar is harboring fugitives and extremists,鈥� he claimed. Al-Hail also pointed to Qatar鈥檚 alleged ties with Tehran, something he believes is at odds with the interests of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). 鈥淲e had problems because Iranians always had their eye on Qatar鈥� You cannot be a friend of Iran and claim to be a friend of the GCC,鈥� he said.
鈥淢ost of the illicit trade that finds its way into Qatari markets come through Iran.鈥�
The conference also heard from Thomas Mace Archer-Mills, a constitutional expert, who said Doha鈥檚 claims that the country is a constitutional monarchy amounts to 鈥渨hitewashing.鈥�
Qatar鈥檚 funding of the Al Jazeera media network was also raised at the London conference, with former employee Mohammed Fahmy taking aim at the channel鈥檚 editorial line.
Fahmy worked in Cairo for Al Jazeera English, but was arrested and spent time in prison on charges that after allegations, he and colleagues filed reports that were damaging to Egypt鈥檚 national security.
After his release Fahmy initiated legal proceedings against Al Jazeera; he told the London conference that the network did not reflect the concerns of Qatari citizens.
鈥淭hey say 鈥榳e are the voice of the voiceless.鈥� Where is the voice of the Qataris? Where is the voice of the Qatari opposition?,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat is the problem with Al Jazeera.鈥�
The conference in London was held amid tight security, with police, sniffer dogs and private security guards patrolling the site.
Organizer Al-Hail said attempts had been made to prevent the event from going ahead, and that he has fears about his personal safety due to his opposition activities.
鈥淚 fear for my life. I have a very big genuine fear of persecution from Qatar. I know what these guys are doing, and they have lots of bad history,鈥� he told Arab News in an interview earlier this week.