Qatar hires Swiss law firm to sue blockade states

The Chairman of Qatar’s National Human Rights Commission said on Wednesday that a Swiss law firm is being engaged to sue the countries imposing the siege on the Gulf State. The commission, Ali Bin Smaikh Al-Marri told a press conference in Doha, would seek compensation for the people affected by the boycott and the siege imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.

“The three countries are responsible for compensation for those affected,” he said. “Many Qataris qualify for such compensation.” Some cases will be filed in courts in the blockading countries as well as in courts that have international jurisdiction, as some do in Europe, related to compensation claims.

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Al-Marri also revealed that migrant workers from countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal employed as domestic staff and farmhands in Saudi Arabia are stranded without shelter and access to money since their Qatari employers were expelled. “There are a lot of migrant workers affected by this decision,” he said. The senior official pointed out that many of those affected are farmhands who drive livestock between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

He added that Qataris with Saudi spouses have been subject to “inhumane” treatment at Abu-Samra Crossing between the two countries.