Qatar was greatest recipient of UK arms between April-June 2022

Described by Gary Lineker earlier than a ball had even been kicked because the ‘most controversial World Cup in historical past,’ human rights abuses in Qatar are being talked about nearly as a lot because the soccer.

The problems being raised and reviled make grim studying. In an evaluation of Qatar’s human rights in 2021, Amnesty International explains that regardless of authorities reforms, migrant staff continued to face labour abuses, together with going through generally ‘insurmountable bureaucratic limitations’ when searching for to alter jobs with out the permission of their employers.

Prior to now decade, the Guardian has reported a comprehensive investigation into employee deaths and abuse in Qatar. It has discovered that dozens of staff had died and others subjected to appalling labour abuses, together with being pressured to stay in unsanitary and overcrowded lodging.

Authorities have additionally continued to curtail freedom of expression utilizing abusive legal guidelines to suppress vital voice. Ladies proceed to face discrimination in legislation and follow. Beneath the nation’s guardianship system, ladies stay tied to their male guardian.

The rights of LGBTQI individuals have been one of many key criticisms surrounding human rights in Qatar. Identical-sex sexual conduct between males is an offence in Qatar, punishable by as much as seven years in jail.

A variety of nations, together with Germany and England, had been planning on carrying the ‘OneLove’ rainbow armband to precise variety and inclusion, and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ neighborhood by displaying soccer is for everybody. Controversially, FIFA has threatened to e book gamers for carrying the OneLove armband throughout video games on the World Cup in Qatar.

Earlier than their event opener in opposition to Japan, Germany gamers lined their mouths throughout a workforce photograph, to ‘convey the message that FIFA is silencing groups’ as coach Hansi Flick said.

Amid the controversy, newly released data shows that for arms export licenses issued by the UK for April – June 2022, Qatar was the most important recipient, by way of the worth of single licences for navy exports.

On November 8, 2022, the Division for Worldwide Commerce launched its newest quarterly information for navy and dual-use export licences issued between April – June 2022.

In its evaluation of the information, the Marketing campaign In opposition to Arms Commerce (CAAT) discovered that Qatar acquired £2.6 million, Saudi Arabia £746 million, and the USA £406 million.

“The most important recipient of UK arms throughout the interval was Qatar, at present internet hosting the World Cup, amidst outcry over the appalling demise toll amongst migrant staff constructing the stadiums for the occasion, in addition to Qatar’s criminalisation of LGBTQ individuals. A £2.4 billion licence was issued in Might for fight plane and their elements. The primary three of 24 Eurofighter Hurricane plane ordered by Qatar had been delivered by BAE Techniques in August,” says CAAT.

Figures present that since 2010, the yr Qatar gained the fitting to host the World Cup, the UK has licenced £3.4 billion price of deadly weaponry to the Qatari regime forces. Reports contend that there was approval for licenses to export ammunition, bombs, machine weapons, helicopters, tanks, assault rifles, riot shields and weapon sights from the UK to Qatar.

The Scottish Greens mentioned the figures present the UK authorities was “complicit within the human rights abuses of which Qatar has been accused”, together with these in opposition to LGBT+ communities, ladies and migrants who constructed the soccer stadiums.

Ross Greer MSP and exterior affairs spokesperson for the Scottish Greens mentioned: “The World Cup has given the Qatari dictatorship an enormous propaganda platform. But it surely has additionally put their appalling human rights file below the microscope like by no means earlier than.”

“One cause why the regime has been capable of inflict the atrocities and abuses that it has in opposition to LGBT+ individuals, ladies, migrant staff and others is due to the huge worldwide assist it has acquired from complicit governments just like the one in Westminster.

“These abuses have been occurring for years, and Downing Avenue has armed and supported the regime each step of the way in which. Each time the UK authorities approves an arms sale it’s complicit within the struggling of peculiar individuals in Qatar.

“It’s also sending a loud and clear message that the rights of Qatari individuals and human rights defenders don’t matter, that their lives are much less vital than arms firm earnings.”

“The UK Authorities should halt these gross sales and finish its assist of a regime with such a horrendous file of human rights abuses. To do in any other case is to be knowingly complicit within the oppression and violence,” Greer continued.

In an op-ed about Britain’s relationship with Qatar, Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik notes how Qatar, and different rich undemocratic regimes around the globe, are empowered in Britain, and by extension on the worldwide stage,  by a “parliamentary system open to lobbying, a profitable weapons trade, and a real-estate financial system that’s geared to a worldwide rich elite.”

Left Foot Ahead reached out to the Division for Worldwide Commerce for commentary on its licensing of weapons gross sales to Qatar. A UK authorities spokesperson mentioned:

“The UK is a number one advocate for human rights around the globe and we stay dedicated to the promotion of common human rights.

“We take our export management duties severely and operates one of the crucial sturdy and clear export management regimes on the earth.

“We take into account all our export purposes totally in opposition to a strict threat evaluation framework and preserve all licences below cautious and continuous evaluation as customary.” 

Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead is a contributing editor to Left Foot Ahead

Picture credit score: Creative Commons – Alvin Puthur

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