Qatar Affirms that Continuing Unjust Blockade Encourages More Violations

Qatar Affirms that Continuing Unjust Blockade Encourages More Violations

Geneva / Information Office / September 15  

The State of Qatar affirmed that the continuing unjust blockade imposed by some countries in the region on it, with no signs of solutions in sight, would encourage more violations of different kinds and methods, which is already occurring.

It added that after over three years have passed since the blockade and the unilateral coercive measures imposed by some countries in the region, the invalidity of the argument on which it was based has been proven, and it left nothing but gross violations of human rights affecting individuals and families, including citizens of the blockading countries themselves.

This came in the State of Qatar's statement delivered by HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva Ambassador Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri during the 45th session of the Human Rights Council within general debate on the High Commissioner's global human rights update.

His Excellency affirmed what the High Commissioner said in its statement that the responsibility of its office and the Human Rights Council is to promote measures that help states ensure that they fulfill their obligations in the field of human rights.

He added that from this standpoint, it is the duty of this Council and the Office of the High Commissioner to work on ending this blockade and stop the resulting human rights violations. In this regard, His Excellency also called on the High Commissioner to take the necessary measures to follow up the results of the visit of the technical mission, which visited Doha about three years ago and learned about the human rights violations committed in this crisis.

HE the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva said that the repeated Israeli attacks and the continued unjust blockade on the Gaza Strip are a flagrant violation of international laws, and have caused severe human suffering for the people of the Strip.

In this regard, His Excellency renewed Qatar's call for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and work for an immediate end to the blockade and opening of all crossings to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and to support efforts to rebuild the Strip in a way that preserves the rights and dignity of its residents and enables them to confront the Covid-19 epidemic.

With regard to Syria and as the war enters its tenth year, HE Ambassador Al Mansouri expressed grave concern about the frustration and complete helplessness of the international community in making any real progress related to a comprehensive cessation of fighting in the country, or in pushing the political process on the basis of the Geneva Declaration 1 and implementation of Resolution 2254, as well as ending the state of impunity, achieving justice and holding perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity accountable.

On achieving the desired peace in Afghanistan, His Excellency reiterated the State of Qatar's commitment to continue providing political support for the peace process and hosting these historic negotiations to reach a political solution that guarantees an end to the war in the country, achieves national reconciliation and meets the aspirations of the brotherly Afghan people for security, prosperity and building a state of law and institutions.