Amnesty International: Qatar has deceived foreign workers of examining coronavirus and expelling them

 

Amnesty International revealed that the Qatari authorities have arrested and expelled dozens of foreign workers after informing them that they will be examined for detection of the novel coronavirus.

Amnesty International spoke to 20 Nepalese workers arrested by the Qatari police, along with hundreds of others from various countries.

According to the organization on its official website, in mid-March, the police informed foreign workers that they would be examined to find out if they had Covid-19, and they would be returned to their places of residence after that.

"Instead, they were taken to detention centers and their documents and mobile phones were confiscated, and then they were held in very poor conditions for several days, before being sent to Nepal," the organization added.

It explained that foreign workers were held in crowded cells without beds or blankets, and they were not provided with enough food or water.

"None of the men we spoke to have any explanation for why they were treated in this way, and they were unable to challenge their detention or expulsion, after days in inhumane conditions of detention, many were not even given the opportunity to collect their belongings before being put on planes to Nepal," said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Global Issues.

"It is a matter of concern that the Qatari authorities appear to have used the epidemic as a cover to commit further violations against foreign workers, many of whom feel the police have misled them," he added.

For its part, the Qatari government says that the arrested and expelled workers were involved in illegal and illegal activities.

"This included the manufacture and sale of prohibited and prohibited items, as well as the sale of dangerous food commodities that could seriously threaten people's health if consumed," Qatari authorities said.

Amnesty International viewed the documents in Arabic that were given to the arrested men, and which did not indicate that they were accused of any criminal offense.

The organization called on "the Qatari authorities to provide compensation for the manner in which these men were treated, and to consider allowing those expelled to return to Qatar if they so wish."