2020: Qatar’s series of attacks against Australians: Radha Stirling discusses Lukman Thalib and Ismail Talib arrests.
Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Doha , an organisation who assists those who face injustice in Qatar, issued a statement on the detention of Australian nationals who have been held without charge since July. Stirling, who founded Detained in Dubai in 2008 and the Gulf in Justice Podcast , also represents another Australian, Joseph Sarlak , who has been held in the country.
In the Gulf in Justice Podcast, Stirling discussed, “It is outrageous that any one of our allies in the Middle East would be so often highlighted in our local press for crimes against the human rights of our own nationals. Qatar was forced to respond to outrage at the treatment of female victims onboard a flight from Doha to Sydney where authorities were accused of sexual assault.
“Over the past two years, we have dealt with a massive escalation in abuses from Qatar. Perhaps the UAE’s actions in its unlawful attack of a US yacht in international waters and kidnapping of Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum and a US citizen, has emboldened Qatar. The Saudi regime’s extraterritorial execution of Khashoggi, a maritime attack in international waters and the exposure of the UAE’s kidnapping of another Dubai princess from British soil is only the tip of the iceberg. US nationals have litigated for death threats and torture cases have been settled out of court.
“National security laws in the Middle East are dangerous, exploitative and plain frightening. Any foreign national can be arrested for almost any reason and almost everyone who is detained, complains of human rights violations and torture. “Journalists, academics and dissidents are at great risk of wrongful detention and the slightest suspicion will be sufficient to warrant arrest. The two men have previously visited Qatar’s enemy, Saudi Arabia, and this alone, could have been enough to have caused the arrest.
“The Australian government has had every opportunity to secure the release of Joe Sarlak, who has been unfairly held in the country for six years. In this case, the evidence fully exonerates him and this alone, should mean an easily diplomatic solution could be reached. But they’ve been disgracefully absent. Foreign minister Marise Payne, hasn’t responded to a single call for action and the Ambassador has been reluctant to get involved at all. It seems they are eyeing off the possibilities of increased commercial partnerships without considering that these efforts will continue to be jeopardised by their inaction and inability to protect their citizens from abuses.
“We call on the Australian Foreign Minister and the Ambassador to build a path forward with Qatar, to pave the way for better relations, to ensure that human rights violations and judicial abuses, don’t ruin what could be a productive alliance. Qatar continues to commit grave human rights violations against Australians, and our government needs to ensure they know we will not tolerate it. In the interim, every effort must be made to warn Australians of the risks of transiting through the country”.
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Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.