Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), which has consistently called attention to violations of human rights across the region, is hosting a high-level event in Qatar focused on devising mechanisms to combat impunity and ensure accountability under International Law.

His Excellency the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani officially opened the two-day conference earlier today, reported The Peninsula.

Prime Minister met a number of participants in the International Conference on National, Regional & International Mechanisms to Combat Impunity & Ensure Accountability. He reviewed the cooperation relations between Qatar & these bodies in the fields of promoting human rights. pic.twitter.com/69ivIl2RWz

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) April 14, 2019

The NHRC is holding the International Conference on National, Regional and International Mechanisms to Combat Impunity and Ensure Accountability, in collaboration with the European Parliament, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.

Said to be the largest of its kind event in the Middle East, according to Gulf Times, the conference will see discussions in four key sessions and three working groups centered on 20 working papers.

Over 250 representatives of government agencies and non-governmental organizations, specialists, researchers, experts in international commissions of inquiry, and members of some regional human rights mechanisms, in addition to distinguished guests have gathered in Doha for this significant event.

President of NHRC says that the holding of the conference "National, Regional and International Mechanisms to Combat Impunity and Ensure Accountability under International Law", comes at a critical time in light of the urgent need to promote the rights of victims. #QNA pic.twitter.com/brJfzCCo1z

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) April 14, 2019

The conference delves into important issues including investigation and prosecution, the right of victims to redress in accordance with the fundamental principles and guidelines of the international law, the right to know and to justice, compensation and guarantees for non-repetition, good practices and lessons learned, and practical proposals to combat impunity.

President of Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions stresses that the absence of justice and the difficulty of ensuring it leads to violence, fragility in societies, lack of trust in institutions, violations of human rights. #QNA

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) April 14, 2019

Several ministers, heads of the diplomatic missions accredited to the State, heads and experts of international commissions of inquiry, senior officials of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as a number of lawyers, judges and legal experts attended the opening session.

Timely conference on Mechanisms to Combat Impunity and Ensure Accountability begins today in #Qatar @nhrcqatar @Europarl_EN @UNHumanRights @Ganhri1 @CanEmbQatar pic.twitter.com/3IWEiqscUj

— Stefanie McCollum (@StefMccollum) April 14, 2019

The session comprised keynote speeches by NHRC Chairman Dr Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri, European Parliament Human Rights Committee Chairman Antonio Benziri, UN High Commissioner Carlos Alfonso, President of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions Negret Muskera and President of Syria serious crimes probing group Catherine Marchi-Ohel, according to Qatar Tribune.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says that the vast and diverse experiences discussed in the conference held in Doha, speak to one undeniable fact, that achieving accountability and ending impunity must be a priority for the international community. #QNA pic.twitter.com/XJkigauamw

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) April 14, 2019

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Cover Image Credit: @StefMccollum