In his statement on behalf of the State of Qatar, during the Universal Periodic Review of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Talal Al-NAAMA , Third Secretary at the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar in Geneva, expressed Qatar’s strong condemnation of the unjust blockade and unilateral coercive measures imposed on the State of Qatar by the Government of Saudi Arabia for the past 17 months, which have resulted in numerous persistent gross human rights violations.

Mr. Al-NAAMA also expressed the grave concern at the violations, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance practiced by the Saudi authorities, as well as the detention of four Qatari citizens without any legal justification.

In this respect, he made the following recommendations to Saudi Arabia:

-To lift immediately the unilateral coercive measures imposed on the State of Qatar.

-Ensure that all Qatari citizens have the right to practice religious rites in Hajj and Umrah without any discrimination on the ground of their nationality and to remove all barriers placed in their way by the Saudi authorities.

-Put an end to arbitrary detention, ensure the safety of detainees, reveal their whereabouts and inform them of the charges against them, in addition to ensuring their right to access to justice, fair trial and the immediate release of all detainees without legal justification.