16 Filipino workers are held by Qatari authorities after being accused of holding an unlawful political gathering in the Gulf nation known for its crackdown on political freedom of expression. According to sources, the workers took part in an event protesting the arrest warrant issued against former leader Duterte in the Hague on the backdrop of the latter’s ‘war on drugs’.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines (DFA) confirmed that, at first, 20 Filipino workers were taken to custody on March 28 “at a police station about an hour from Doha,” but four were already released, three of which were minors, while the others are still under police custody.
Foreign nationals urged to follow local laws
The Embassy of the Philippines in Qatar issued a statement confirming the events, and urging its citizens to “follow local laws,” reminding them that political gatherings are prohibited in the Gulf state. Likewise, the embassy added that the foreign ministry is acting to provide legal consultation to those arrested.
Under Qatari Law, public gatherings and protests require approval from the government, and all unauthorized demonstrations are illegal. According to estimates, the workers may be facing up to three years in custody. According to the DFA, the female workers were questioned over the weekend, while the males will be interrogated soon.
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France - Lusail, Qatar - December 18, 2022 Police officers with dogs are seen during the match (credit: HAMAD I MOHAMMED/REUTERS)
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Final - Argentina v France - Lusail, Qatar - December 18, 2022 Police officers with dogs are seen during the match (credit: HAMAD I MOHAMMED/REUTERS)
An Amnesty International report from 2023 accused Qatar of restricting the right to freedom of expression and silencing critical voices. The report also criticized the Gulf nation’s treatment of foreign workers, citing regular infringements against their rights, arguing that they face varying types of abuse, including wage theft, forced labour and exploitation, with inadequate access to grievance and redress mechanisms.
Qatar expert Dr. Ariel Admoni explained to the Jerusalem Post that, though Doha is keen on presenting itself as a friendly actor in the West, with its media outlets promoting their view of ‘freedom of expression’ – when it comes to the country itself, the story is completely different. “Qatar is still a dictatorship,” Admoni said. “This means frequent arrests without due judicial process, crackdown against non-authorized gatherings, and more.”
According to Admoni, the Qataris take pride in their high ranking in indexes revolving around public order, “but maintaining public order is regarded as carrying more importance than freedom of expression.”
Admoni explained that, for this reason, protests in Qatar must be overseen by the authorities. “This is especially true when we’re speaking of the foreign workers, who, as a rule of thumb, are far from obtaining any basic rights. The Qataris fear unrest amongst those foreign workers, which in their eyes may have ripple effects, and the Filipino protests should be viewed in this light,” he concluded.