World Cup: HRW warns of violence against LGBTQI + people in Qatar

“Qatar: security forces arrest and abuse LGBT people”. The title of the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, released on October 24, speaks for itself. The human rights organization identifies Qatar and denounces the violence perpetrated against LGBTQI + people. With the start of the World Cup a month away, the focus is more on the country’s lack of respect for human rights than on the matches to come.

Rights trampled with impunity

“Qatari Preventive Security Department forces arbitrarily arrested lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and subjected them to ill-treatment while in detention,” the HRW report said. The NGO also warns against discrimination, privacy violations, sexual harassment and even conversion practices. According to the human rights defender, some of these events occurred very recently, in September 2022, “even though the (Qatari) government has been subjected to careful scrutiny for the treatment of LGBT people.” “As Qatar prepares to host the World Cup, the security forces are detaining and abusing LGBT people just for who they are, apparently confident that these abuses will not be reported and will not be banned,” says Rasha Younes, a specialist in LGBTQI + issues within the organization.

A general concern

The LGBTQI + community is not alone in worrying about the fate that may be reserved for its members during their visit to Qatar for the next soccer world cup. Distrust of women’s rights is also growing. Earlier this month, 5 Australian women filed a lawsuit against the airline Qatar Airways and the civil aviation authority of Qatar. They say they underwent forced gynecological examinations at Doha airport in October 2020. Through their lawyer, Damian Sturzaker, they added that “women (who will go to Qatar) have the right to obtain assurance from Qatar that their human rights will be respected. “

Cover image: Unsplash / Daniel James