NHRC signs agreement with Swiss law firm

The Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) yesterday signed an agreement with Lalive, a Swiss law firm to investigate thousands of cases of human rights violations from a Saudi-led blockade on Qatar and seek compensation.

The agreement will grant the international law firm the right to pursue the cases of some 2,450 citizens and foreign residents of Qatar, who have been affected by the blockade. The cases of citizens of GCC countries who filed complaints at the QNHRC will be also investigated and pursued in local and international tribunals.

All cases received by the QNHRC have been transferred to the international law firm, which specializes in mass claims to investigate and document each individual case to the right course of action and mechanism said Dr. Ali bin Sumaikh Al Marri, Chairman of QNHRC. 

If the crisis end at political level the cases consideration will pursue until every gets his rights said Al Marri. 

If the national courts of the siege countries refused to consider the cases then they will also be condemned by the international organizations and special rapporteur on independency of judiciary and law firms. 

‘Sanctions not in accordance with international law’

The committee has documented so far more than 2,450 complaints and everyone affected because the siege imposed against Qatar need to document his/her complaint whether these complaints are related to violations to the rights to work, travel, residency or family reunifications Al Marri added. 

All affected individuals can be compensated in accordance to the rights to justices approved by the human rights council and international laws. 

For his part Dr Veijo Heiskanen, Chairman of the international firm, said the QNHRC has documented considerable number of complaints and we are about to start several procedures to compile the complaints and collect evidences and study cases. 

Lalive will be working closely with the NHRC to proceed as quickly as possible to determine the right course of action with respect to the claims already submitted and those to come he added.

Veijo Heiskanen also told Al Jazeera that: “The sanctions imposed on Qatar go too far and are not in accordance with international law. Ordinary Qatari nationals and companies are not part of the State and cannot be targeted,”. 

“A political dispute between States does not justify sanctions against private citizens, companies and other private entities,” Heiskanen said.

“The Qatar National Committee for Human Rights is therefore justified to pursue these claims,” the lead lawyer on the case Heiskanen added.

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