Qatar concerned over human rights violations under the pretext of fighting terrorism

On Friday Qatar expressed “deep concern” over the violation of human rights under the pretext of fighting terrorism and “its use by some oppressive regimes to refute the desire of their citizens to freedom,” an official Qatari news agency reported.

This view was announced in Qatar’s speech at the second meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, which is now being held. The third secretary of the permanent Qatari delegation, Jasim al-Ma’awdeh, made the speech to the Human Rights Council.

Al-Ma’awdeh said that his country “condemns all forms of terrorism whoever it is and whatever their reasons and justification are.”

However he noted that his country “had repeatedly stressed in meetings of international organisations the importance of reaching an agreement that put a specified definition on terrorism.”

He also said “loose definitions for terrorism lead to the misuse of the term, which then leads to dangerous violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

The Qatari official continued: “This prevents nations from fighting occupation and striving for self-determination.”