Archive: qatar

22nd January 2017
By: Brian Whitaker
Numerous social media accounts associated with Voiceless Victims, a mysterious and possibly sinister "human rights" organisation, have been deleted over the last couple of weeks. Voiceless Victims had approached Amnesty International and other established organisations with a view to cooperating in… Read more
11th January 2017
By: Brian Whitaker
The story of Voiceless Victims, the fake human rights organisation that sought to "cooperate" with campaigns supporting migrant workers in Qatar, has taken a puzzling turn. A newly-created Twitter account using the Voiceless Victims logo has begun tweeting about rape and sexual assaults in the… Read more
5th January 2017
By: Brian Whitaker
The 2022 World Cup has turned into a mixed blessing for Qatar. What at first seemed like a brilliant opportunity to showcase the small Gulf state has instead brought a torrent of bad publicity – some because of the way Qatar was chosen by football's corrupt governing body, Fifa, to host the contest… Read more
24th December 2016
By: Brian Whitaker
A fake human rights group which apparently tried to gather intelligence about genuine campaigners is claiming that its strange behaviour was the result of threats from "the bad guys". The group, calling itself "Voiceless Victims", purported to be campaigning on behalf of exploited construction… Read more
23rd December 2016
By: Brian Whitaker
A "non-profit" organisation which claimed to be campaigning on behalf of exploited construction workers in Qatar has been exposed as a fake.  Purportedly operating from France, where it used a false address, "Voiceless Victims" contacted several genuine organisations concerned about employment… Read more
5th December 2016
By: Brian Whitaker
The Doha Centre for Media Freedom was set up by the emir of Qatar in 2007. Press freedom and quality journalism, its mission statement says, "are vital for empowering citizens to participate in social and political life. Well functioning media are crucial for healthy societies and sustainable… Read more
1st September 2016
By: Brian Whitaker
THE GULF STATE of Qatar is small but exceptionally rich and uses its money relentlessly to acquire friends and influence. The recipients of its largesse have been many and various, from Bill Clinton’s charitable foundation in the United States to the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups.… Read more
9th August 2016
By: Brian Whitaker
Last Friday the Doha News website did something rather shocking – at least, by Qatar's standards. It posted an article entitled: "What it's like to be gay and Qatari". Attached to the article was a note from the editors explaining their decision to publish it: "Doha News is aware that any extra-… Read more
22nd May 2016
By: Brian Whitaker
Progressive social policies are increasingly under attack in international forums. Muslim countries are in the forefront of this campaign but they are also aided by rightwing elements in the United States and by countries where social conservatism has become part of nationalist discourse.… Read more
11th March 2016
By: Brian Whitaker
At the United Nations, Qatar has been boasting about its support for the right to "freedom of religion or belief" and the right to "freedom of opinion and expression". The "positive practice" of these two rights "can contribute to strengthening both of them", according to Sheikh Khalid bin Jassim… Read more