The Swiss Organisation for the Protection of Human Rights (SOPHR) has called on the Saudi authorities to lift all restrictions imposed on the right to worship and religious rituals. All violations committed during the days of the siege, including encroachment on the right of movement and travel, the economic siege on the Qatari people, the infringement of freedom of opinion and expression, obstructing the performance of religious rites and interfering in the internal affairs of Qatar, are systematic violations, that places those responsible under provisions of international law, SOPHR said in a press release.
The statement said that the organisation had followed the position of the Saudi foreign ministry in justifying illegal actions that clash with international conventions as a matter of sovereignty, which is contrary to international law. All illegal measures taken by the Saudi authorities concerning the obstruction of the right to worship and to perform religious rites contravene all relevant international conventions, and even contradict the official statements issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry, that it facilitates the procedures, while in fact, thousands of Qatar’s citizens and residents are facing more complexed procedures that hinder the normal performance of their rituals.
Meanwhile, Free Voice Organisation expressed its deep concern regarding the administrative harassment that may face Qatari pilgrims at holy sites this year.
The organisation said the Gulf crisis extended to affect the religious rite in addition to all the serious human rights violations that the Gulf and especially the Qatari people face as a result to the siege that took place during Ramadan. In the holy month, the organisation registered a number of incidents where some Qataris were deprived the right to perform Umrah, where a Qatari was also forced out of the holy site and deported to Doha, the statement said.
The organisation added actions were taken by Saudi Arabia forcing pilgrims flying to Makkah to use airlines besides Qatar Airways, which doubles the financial, emotional and physical suffering. It also violates the mobility rights mentioned in Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The organisation demanded Saudi Arabia to not use Haj as a political tool that would harm tens of thousands of pilgrims, and to take appropriate political, security, legal and human rights actions to facilitate the arrival of Qatari or non-Qatari pilgrims arriving from Qatar.
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