(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA
Washington: National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Chairman Dr Ali bin Sumaikh Al Marri underlined the urgent need to put an end to the suffering endured by the citizens and residents of Qatar as well as Saudi Arabian, Emirati and Bahraini citizens, as a result of the siege imposed on Qatar for more than 115 days.
During Al Marri's meeting with the two US Representatives Republican Congressmen Trent Franks and Gus Bilirakis, he also reiterated the importance of holding the Congress members the moral and legal responsibility to condemn and stop the violations of the siege and to take needed action.
Al Marri briefed the Congress members about the impact of the siege on the humanitarian status of the civilians in Qatar and the three mentioned Gulf countries, especially the status of families, students, patients and other social categories.
He also praised the efforts of the US human rights institutions, organizations and activists to lift this inhumane siege, and their solidarity with the humanitarian crisis it entails.
Absolute rejection to including the civilians in the conflict was expressed at the meeting along with the importance of neutralizing them towards any political disputes, and removing the basic human rights of citizens and residents of Qatar, as well as the citizens of the siege countries, from any political conflicts, or attempt to use them as a bargaining tool for negotiation.
in an other meeting with Chairman of the 'Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the US Congress James McGovern, Al Marri called for urgent measures to lift the siege imposed on the State of Qatar and to hold the countries that impose it accountable for the human rights violations and the damage caused by the siege and the need to expose its violations in the annual reports of the US State Department, and to include them on the blacklist of countries involved in the violation of international conventions.
Dr. Al Marri also called on members of the Congressional Human Rights and Foreign Relations Committees to visit Doha in the near future and hold hearings with those affected by the siege and meet them directly.
The meeting with McGovern was preceded by another meeting of the NHRC chief with representatives of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as a part of the NHRC efforts and movements to draw the attention of officials in the United States to the repercussions of the siege on Qatar and to recognize the violations resulting from it toward the human rights of citizens and residents of Qatar and citizens of the three siege countries 'Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain.
NHRC Chairman highlighted during the meeting the grave humanitarian consequences of the siege on more than 13,000 people of the citizens of the siege countries, who live in Qatar. The families have been deprived of the most basic rights granted by international human rights law and charters, primarily the right to movement, education, health and family reunification and the right to practice religious rites.
Dr Al Marri also strongly condemned the arbitrary decisions of the siege countries against the citizens of Qatar and the three countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which amounts to collective punishment. He referred to the obstacles placed by the Saudi authorities in the face of Qatari pilgrims, which led to the deprivation of more than 20000 citizens and residents in Qatar to perform the Hajj duty. NHRC Chairman also pointed out to the unilateral actions of the siege countries, such as the sanctions imposed on their peoples to criminalize sympathy with the Qatari people, demands to close Qatari newspapers and channels. While Qatar granted absolute freedom to citizens of the siege countries, no decision has been issued to expel any citizen from the siege countries.
MENAFN2709201700630000ID1095903414
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.