The illegal siege of Qatar, imposed by four neighbouring Arab nations, has now been going on for seven months.

Dr Ali bin Sumaikh Al Marri, the Chairman of Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), has called for some immediate action to ensure the end of the illegal blockade, reported The Peninsula.

Al Marri was speaking during a meeting with officials at the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office on his fourth European tour.

He said that governments remaining neutral regarding the issue is a violation in itself of the rights of those abused by the siege. He added that being neutral was also an encouragement for siege countries to continue their act of collective punishment.

He also stressed that the official report from the UN, which condemned the measures taken by the siege countries, should also be the signal that countries can no longer be neutral.
Al Marri said that Qatar continued to remain in contact with all international human rights organisations and encourages them to visit Doha to meet those affected directly.

This is unlike the siege countries, who continue to operate behind closed doors and prevent all international regulatory bodies and rights organisations from sending fact-finding missions on the implications of the seven-month siege.
Al Marri added that the UK government had a legal and moral responsibility to end those unjust measures and support those affected.

The Qatari official said that the arbitrary approach of the blockading nations is not only a threat to the security and stability of the Gulf States, but also represents a real threat to the collective security system and to the unity of international cooperation.