tag

Qatar has affirmed full support for the Libyan political process, relevant Security Council resolutions, and all peaceful solutions that preserve Libya's unity, stability, and sovereignty as well as achieve the aspirations of the Libyan people for security, peace, development, and prosperity.This came in Qatar's statement delivered by third political researcher at the International Organisations Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Salman al-Hammadi during his participation in the interactive dialogue on the report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on technical assistance and capacity-building to improve human rights in Libya, Item 10, within the framework of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.Al-Hammadi welcomed the efforts and activities implemented by the OHCHR, in co-operation with the Libyan authorities, to provide support, technical assistance, and capacity-building to improve the protection of human rights and address challenges, especially during this transitional period the country is undergoing.Having reviewed the report, Qatar, he noted, condemns all violations committed against the Libyan people and calls on all Libyan parties to respect their obligations under international laws and agreements, promote national reconciliation and transitional justice, and ensure accountability for all violations committed against Libyans.Al-Hammadi urged the international community and the Office of the High Commissioner to continue providing technical assistance and coordinating with Libyan authorities and institutions to identify needs and priorities and ways to respond to them, thus contributing to achieving positive results and assisting Libya in implementing its international human rights obligations.Meanwhile, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada al-Nashif, stressed that any sustainable political settlement in Libya must be grounded in justice, human rights, and address the root causes of conflict and weak governance, while also establishing legitimate institutions.Speaking during the interactive dialogue, al-Nashif said Libya is at a critical turning point. She noted that the UN Support Mission's political roadmap, announced in August, has renewed hope after years of political stalemate.She added that the roadmap paves the way for national elections, unified institutions, and structured dialogue, but warned that the country still faces major challenges stemming from a longstanding legacy of serious human rights violations.Al-Nashif emphasised the need for the effective participation of all groups, including minorities, to ensure an inclusive national dialogue capable of moving Libya forward.She also referred to a recent report detailing the activities of the UN Human Rights Office in Libya, highlighting efforts to bring together stakeholders from both eastern and western Libya to reach consensus on a legislative framework for transitional justice and national reconciliation, as well as a law to prevent violence against women.

The National Committee for the Preparation of the National Human Rights Action Plan (2026-2030) held its second meeting, chaired by Acting Director of the Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vice Chairperson of the Committee Sarah Abdullah Al Saadi. During the meeting, the Committee reviewed the latest developments in its work related to preparing the national plan. It also discussed the completed phases and upcoming implementation steps in implementation of the decision of the esteemed Cabinet. The Committee stressed the importance of continuing coordination and joint efforts to implement the plan, as it is a pivotal national strategy for consolidating the State of Qatar's commitments in the field of human rights, in line with the priorities of Qatar National Vision 2030.

The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) announced that it will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to review the serious humanitarian and human rights repercussions of the unlawful Israeli attack on the State of Qatar on Sep. 9. The attack is considered a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and international humanitarian law, as well as a threat to the security, safety, and stability of the region. In a statement, the Commission said that, based on the strong condemnation of the brutal attack by OIC Member States and in line with the outcomes of the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit held in Doha on Sep. 15, 2025, the emergency meeting will focus on the human rights and humanitarian dimensions of the crisis. It will assess the situation on the ground and issue urgent recommendations that serve the interests of OIC Member States. The IPHRC reaffirmed its commitment to working with all Member States and relevant stakeholders to uphold the fundamental rights of civilians and to ensure accountability for the flagrant violations of international law.

Israel undermined regional peace and stability in its attack last week on Hamas leaders who had been in Qatar to negotiate a ceasefire, the United Nations rights chief said during a debate at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday."Israel's strike on negotiators in Doha on 9 September was a shocking breach of international law, an assault on regional peace and stability, and a blow against the integrity of mediation and negotiating processes around the world," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk told delegates.The airstrike risked undermining negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza's nearly two-year-old war, he said.The strike, which Hamas says killed five of its members but not its leadership, has prompted Gulf Arab states to close ranks. Arab and Islamic states held a summit in Doha on Monday to back Qatar.Qatar urged council members to hold Israel accountable. The Israeli strike on Doha amounted to "state terrorism" and a direct threat to regional stability, Minister of State for International Cooperation, Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, told the Tuesday's debate.Saudi Arabia's envoy in Geneva, Abdulmohsen Majed Binkhothaila, said: "Israeli actions are no longer sporadic violations, they constitute a systematic behaviour based on the indiscriminate killings ... and forced displacement in violation of all international norms and laws."Algeria and Pakistan joined Qatar in condemning Israel, while the European Union expressed its solidarity with Qatar.Separately on Tuesday, a UN Commission of Inquiry concluded on Tuesday that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, accusations Israel strongly rejected as it launched a long-threatened ground assault on Gaza City.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution to hold an emergency debate today, on Israel's September 9 attack against Qatar. This emergency debate was requested during the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva by Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN in Geneva Bilal Ahmad, on behalf of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Group and Permanent Representative of the Kuwait Naser Al Hayen, on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

The UN rights chief accused Israeli officials on Monday of using overt "genocidal rhetoric" about Gaza and called for decisive international action to "end the carnage".In a speech to the UN Human Rights Council that was criticised by Israel, Volker Turk said the occupied Palestinian territory was already "a graveyard".He accused Israel of inflicting "indescribable suffering and wholesale destruction"."I am horrified by the open use of genocidal rhetoric and the disgraceful dehumanisation of Palestinians by senior Israeli officials."The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights did not provide examples, but his spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told AFP that "shocking and dehumanising language" has been used by a number of high-level officials, stressing that "this is not a case of one senior official mouthing off".A number of countries have sanctioned far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has urged "total extermination" in Gaza, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has called for opening the "gates of hell on Gaza (to) encourage Gazans to emigrate".Shamdasani also pointed to Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman's assertion in March that the "only solution for the Gaza Strip is to empty it of Gazans".And Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu said during a radio interview in July that "the government is racing to have Gaza erased".Turk stressed that nearly two years after the war erupted following Hamas's deadly attack on Israel, "the region is crying out for peace".The Israeli army bombed a Gaza City residential tower block on Sunday -- the third in as many days -- and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the military was "deepening" its assault on the Gaza Strip's key urban centre.The UN estimates nearly one million people remain in and around Gaza City, where it officially declared a famine last month."Further militarisation, occupation, annexation and oppression will only feed more violence, retribution and terror," Turk warned.He insisted Israel had "a legal obligation to take the steps ordered by the International Court of Justice to prevent acts of genocide, punish incitement to genocide and ensure enough aid reaches Palestinians in Gaza".The UN rights chief said the international community was "failing the people of Gaza."Where are the decisive steps to prevent genocide," he asked.

The Investment and Trade Court has signed a cooperation agreement with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), aimed at strengthening partnership and exchanging expertise in the field of intellectual property rights protection.The agreement was signed by President of the Investment and Trade Court Judge Khalid bin Ali al-Obaidli and Director of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center Ignacio De Castro Llamas, in the presence of Director of the Intellectual Property Rights Protection Department at Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) Abdulbasit al-Ajji, along with a number of judges and court officials.The agreement focuses on supporting the development of an advanced judicial environment capable of keeping pace with best international practices, thereby enhancing the court’s role in protecting intellectual property rights and improving the investment climate in the State of Qatar.Al-Obaidli stated that the agreement reflects the Investment and Trade Court’s commitment to engaging with leading international institutions and benefiting from their expertise, which strengthens Qatar’s position as a developed centre for intellectual property protection and the resolution of commercial and investment disputes.Following the signing, the WIPO delegation toured the court’s facilities, where they were briefed on its various departments and the mechanisms it employs to adjudicate commercial and investment cases.They praised the advanced capabilities and infrastructure they observed, which reflect the court’s status as a pioneering judicial institution both locally and internationally.