AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE
15 April 2020
Qatar: Migrant workers illegally expelled during COVID-19 pandemic
Qatari authorities rounded up and expelled dozens of migrant workers after telling them they were being taken to be tested for COVID-19, Amnesty International has learned.
The organization interviewed 20 men from Nepal who were apprehended by Qatari police, alongside hundreds of others, in March. The police told most of the men that they were going to be tested for COVID-19 and would be returned to their accommodation afterwards. Instead, they were taken to detention centres and held in appalling conditions for several days, before being sent to Nepal.
“None of the men we spoke to had received any explanation for why they were treated this way, nor were they able to challenge their detention or expulsion. After spending days in inhumane detention conditions, many were not even given the chance to collect their belongings before they were put on planes to Nepal,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director of Global Issues.
“It is disturbing that the Qatari authorities appear to have used the pandemic as a smokescreen for further abuses against migrant workers, many of whom feel police misled them by saying that they were to be ‘tested’. COVID-19 is no excuse for arbitrarily rounding people up.
“The authorities must provide reparations for the way that these men have been treated, and consider allowing those who have been expelled to return to Qatar if they so wish. The men’s employers must also urgently pay the salary and employment benefits they are owed.”
Apprehended and detained
On Thursday 12 and Friday 13 March, hundreds of migrant workers were rounded up and detained by police in parts of Doha including the Industrial Area, Barwa City, and Labour City. They were apprehended whilst away from their accommodation, carrying out errands or shopping for groceries.
Some workers said the police specifically told them that they were being taken to be tested for COVID-19, and would be brought back to their accommodation later. Other workers said the police spoke to them in Arabic and the only word they could understand was ‘Corona’.
One man told Amnesty International: “We were asked to stop to test for the virus. Police told us that the doctor would come and check the virus. But they lied to us.”
The men were then crammed on to buses, and taken to a detention facility in the Industrial Area where their documents and mobile phones were confiscated, before having their photographs and fingerprints taken. The workers were detained in inhumane conditions alongside scores of other people from various countries. They were held in overcrowded cells without beds or bedding, and not given enough food or water.
One Nepali man told Amnesty International: “The jail was full of people. We were given one piece of bread each day, which was not enough. All the people were fed in a group, with food lying on plastic on the floor. Some were not able to snatch the food because of the crowd.”
Out of the 20 interviewed, only three said they had their temperature checked while they were in the detention facility.
Expulsions
While they were in detention, the men Amnesty International interviewed were told they were being expelled, with some only learning about it while being taken to the airport. Some were expelled on 15 March, and others on 19 March. None were able to challenge their detention or expulsion.
Some were given just a few minutes to pack their belongings, while others were not given the chance to collect anything at all. One man said: “I was handcuffed and treated like a criminal. I was taken to my camp to collect belongings, but how could I collect and pack the luggage since my hands were chained?”
Most workers said they had their temperatures taken at Hamad International Airport before boarding their flights, and again upon landing in Kathmandu.
Some said the police threatened to bring criminal charges against them and keep them in the detention facility longer if they complained or tried to challenge the situation.
Payments owed
Of the 20 people interviewed, only two said they have been contacted by the companies they worked for, offering to pay their salaries. One man said he was given cash by his company whilst in detention, but a police officer took it for ‘safekeeping’ and failed to return it. The other man said his company asked him to open a bank account to send him his wages.
All of the workers left Qatar without receiving their owed salary and end-of-service benefits, a particular concern as many will have spent huge sums on securing jobs in Qatar and may well be paying back high-interest loans.
One man said: “It is difficult now. My children do not have clothes, it is tough to feed them.” Another said he was being threatened by a moneylender and was struggling to support his five children.
Qatar Government response
In response to Amnesty International’s evidence, the Qatari Government said that while inspecting the Industrial Area as part of the COVID-19 response, “officials uncovered individuals engaged in illegal and illicit activity. This included the manufacture and sale of banned and prohibited substances, along with the sale of dangerous food goods that could seriously threaten the health of people if consumed”.
However, 18 of those interviewed by Amnesty International said they were not aware of any charges or accusations brought against them. Two others said that a fellow detainee who spoke Arabic told them that they were accused of supplying alcohol. Neither the police nor any officials informed them of such charges, which they strongly denied to Amnesty International.
Amnesty International reviewed documents in Arabic that were given to the men, which do not suggest they were charged with any criminal offence. In any event, none of the men interviewed were allowed to challenge the legality of their detention and eventual expulsion, as required under international human rights law.
Recommendations
Amnesty International is calling on the Qatar authorities to ensure that any worker detained and threatened with expulsion is informed of the reasons and allowed to challenge them. Qatar should also ensure effective remedy and reparation for any worker whose rights have been violated. The Qatari authorities must also ensure all migrant workers’ right to health is fully protected during the COVID-19 crisis.
ENDS
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: laurie.hanna@amnesty.org
Out of hours contact details:
+44 20 7413 5566
email: press@amnesty.org
Twitter: @amnestypress
एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनल
प्रेस विज्ञप्ति
३ वैशाख २०७७
कतार : कोभिड-१९ महामारीको समयमा आप्रवासी श्रमिकहरूलाई गैरकानुनी ढङ्गमा निष्कासन
कोभिड-१९ परीक्षण गर्न लागिएको भन्दै कतारी अधिकारीहरूले सयौं आप्रवासी श्रमिकहरूलाई आफ्नो नियन्त्रणमा लिएको र त्यसपश्चात कैयौँलाई स्वेच्छाचारी ढङ्गमा निष्कासन गरेको एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनलले थाह पाएको छ ।
फाल्गुन २९ र ३० मा कतार प्रहरीले गिरफ्तार गरेको २० जना नेपाली श्रमिकहरूसँग यो संस्थाले अन्तर्वार्ता लिएको थियो । प्रहरीले प्राय यी सबैलाई कोभिड-१९ को परीक्षणका लागि लगिन लागेको तथा परीक्षण सकिएपछि उनीहरूलाई आ-आफ्नो आवासमा फर्काइदिने भनेको थियो । तर उनीहरूलाई हिरासत केन्द्रहरूमा लगियो र धेरै दिनसम्म त्यहाँ राखेर पछि नेपाल पठाइयो।
“हामीले कुराकानी गरेका कसैले पनि उनीहरूलाई किन यस्तो व्यवहार गरिएको थियो भन्ने कुराको स्पष्टीकरण पाएका छैनन् । न त उनीहरूले आफ्नो हिरासत र निष्कासनका विरुद्ध कुनै उजुरी नै गर्न सकेका थिए । अमानवीय हिरासतको अवस्थामा निकै दिन बिताएपछि धेरैजसोलाई नेपाल जाने विमानमा राख्नु अघि उनीहरूलाई आफ्नो सर सामान ल्याउने समेत अवसर दिइएको थिएन” एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनलका ग्लोबल इस्युज्का निर्देशक स्टिभ ककबर्नले भने ।
“कतारी अधिकारीहरूले यो महामारीलाई आप्रवासी श्रमिकविरुद्ध थप दुर्व्यवहार गर्ने अवसरको रूपमा प्रयोग गरिनु दुःखद् छ । यी दुर्व्यवहारमा परेका धेरैजसोले उनीहरूमा कोरोना सङ्क्रमणको परीक्षण गर्न लागिएको भन्दै प्रहरीले धोका दिएको महसुस गरेका छन् । कोभिड-१९ मानिसलाई स्वेच्छाचरी रूपमा नियन्त्रणमा लिने कुनै बहाना होइन।
“यी व्यक्तिहरूलाई जसरी दुर्व्यवहार गरिएको छ सोबापत अधिकारीहरूले उनीहरूलाई परिपूरण उपलब्ध गराउनुपर्दछ र यदि उनीहरूले चाहेको खण्डमा उनीहरूलाई कतार फर्कन दिनु पर्दछ । साथै उनीहरू कार्यररत रहेका रोजगारदाता कम्पनीहरूले उनीहरूले पाउनुपर्ने पारिश्रमिक लगायतका अन्य रोजगार सुविधाहरू यथाशीघ्र भुक्तानी गर्नुपर्दछ ।”
गिरफ्तारी र हिरासत
फाल्गनु २९ गते बिहीबार र ३० गते शुक्रबार सयौँ आप्रवासी श्रमिकहरूलाई प्रहरीले घेरा हालेर नियन्त्रणमा लियो र दोहाको औद्योगिक क्षेत्र, बारवा शहर र लेबर शहरसमेत विभिन्न भागहरूमा उनीहरूलाई हिरासतमा राख्यो । आफ्नो आवासबाट बाहिर सब्जी खाद्यान्न लगायतका सरसामान किनमेल गर्न गएको बेला उनीहरूलाई गिरफ्तार गरिएको थियो ।
केही श्रमिकहरूले प्रहरीले उनीहरूलाई खासगरी कोभिड–१९ परीक्षणको लागि लान लागेको र पछि उनीहरूको आवासमै फर्काइदिने भनी भनेको बताए । अन्य श्रमिकहरूले भने प्रहरीले अरेबिक भाषामा कुरा गरेको र आफूले “कोरोना“ भन्ने शब्द मात्र बुझेको बताए ।
एकजनाले एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनललाई भने: “हामीलाई भाइरस परीक्षणका लागि रोकिएको भनियो । प्रहरीले डाक्टर आएर भाइरस जाँच्ने भनी बतायो । तर उनीहरूले हामीलाई ढाँटेका रहेछन् ।”
त्यसपछि ती श्रमिकहरूलाई बसमा कोचियो र औद्योगिक क्षेत्रको हिरासत स्थलमा लगियो जहाँ उनीहरूको कागजात र मोबाइल फोन जफत गरियो र उनीहरूको फोटो खिच्नुका साथै औँठाको छाप पनि लिइयो । श्रमिकहरूलाई विभिन्न देशका सयौँ अन्य मानिसहरूसँगै अमानवीय अवस्थामा हिरासतमा राखिएको थियो । उनीहरूलाई खाट र ओड्ने ओछ्याउने नभएको एकदमै भिडभाडयुक्त कोठाहरूमा पर्याप्त पानी र खाना समेत नदिएर राखिएको थियो ।
एकजना नेपालीले एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनललाई भने: “जेल मानिसले खचाखच भरिएको थियो । हामीलाई दिनमा जम्मा एउटा रोटि दिइएको थियो जुन अपुग हुन्थ्यो । सबै मानिसलाई भुईंमा राखिएको हुनथ्यो र खानालाई प्लास्टिकमा राखिएको हुन्थ्यो । भिडभाडका कारण कतिपयले त खानेकुरा थुत्न समेत सक्दैनथे ।”
अन्तर्वार्ता लिइएका २० जनामा तीन जनाले मात्रै हिरासतमा रहेको बेला उनीहरूको शरीरको तापक्रम मापन गरिएको बताए ।
निष्कासन
हिरासतमा रहेको बेलामा हामीले अन्तर्वार्ता लिएको श्रमिकहरूलाई देशबाट निष्कासन गरिन लागेको बताइयो । केहीले त एयरपोर्ट लगिँदै गर्दा मात्रै आफूलाई निष्कासन गर्न लागेको थाह पाए । कतिलाई चैत्र २ मा निष्कासन गरिएको थियो भने अन्यलाई चैत्र ६ मा निष्कासन गरिएको थियो । कसैले पनि आफूलाई किन हिरासतमा राखिएको वा किन निष्कासन गरेको भनेर कुनै उजुरीसम्म गर्न पाएनन् ।
कतिपयलाई आफ्नो सरसामान प्याकिङ्ग गर्नका लागि केही मिनेटको समय दिइएको थियो भने अन्यलाई त आफ्नो कुनै सामान ल्याउने अवसर समेत दिइएन । एकजनाले भने: “मलाई हतकडी लगाएर अपराधीलाई जस्तो व्यवहार गरियो । मलाई मेरो क्याम्पमा सामान लिनका लागि लगिएको थियो तर हतकडी लगाएको अवस्थामा मैले कसरी मेरो सरसामान जम्मा गरेर प्याकिङ्ग गर्नु?”
सबैजसो श्रमिकहरूले हमाद अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थलमा विमान चढ्नुअघि र विमानबाट उत्रिएपछि काठमाडौँमा उनीहरूको शरीरको तापक्रम लिइएको बताए ।
प्रहरीले उनीहरूलाई यदि कुनै गुनासो गरे वा त्यो अवस्थालाई चुनौती दिने कुनै कार्य गरेमा उनीहरूलाई फौजदारी अभियोग लगाइदिने तथा लामो समयसम्म हिरासतमा राख्ने धम्की दिएको कुरा कतिपयले बताए ।
पारिश्रमिक भुक्तानी लिन बाँकी
अन्तर्वार्ता लिइएका २० जनामध्ये दुई जनालाई मात्र आफूले काम गरेको कम्पनीले सम्पर्क गरी बाँकी रहेको पारिश्रमिक चुक्ता गर्ने जनाएको छ । एकजना श्रमिकले भने आफूलाई कम्पनीले पैसा दिएको तर हिरासतमा रहेको बेला प्रहरीले “सुरक्षाका लागि“ भन्दै लगेको र पछि फिर्ता नगरेको बताए । अर्का श्रमिकले भने आफूले काम गरेको कम्पनीले पैसा पठाउनका लागि बैँक खाता आवश्यक पर्ने भन्दै उनलाई एउटा बैंकमा खाता खोल्नु भनी भनेको बताए ।
सबै श्रमिकहरूले आफूले पाउने पारिश्रमिक र काम छाड्दा पाउने अन्य सुबिधाहरू नलिइकन कतार छाडेका थिए । यो उनीहरूको लागि एउटा चिन्ताजनक कुरा हो किनभने कतिपयले कतारमा काम पाउनका लागि ठूलो रकम खर्चिएका हुन्छन् र चर्को ब्याज तिरिरहेका पनि हुन सक्छन् ।
एकजनाले भने: “अहिले कठिन छ । मेरा बालबालिकासँग लगाउने लुगा छैन । उनीहरूलाई खुवाउन अझ कठिन छ ।”अर्का एकजनाले आफूलाई ऋणदाताले धम्काइरहेको र आफ्ना पाँच जना बालबालिकाहरूको लालन पालनका लागि सङ्घर्ष गरिरहेको बताए ।
कतार सरकारको प्रतिक्रिया
एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनलले प्राप्त गरेको प्रमाणको प्रतिक्रियामा कतार सरकारले कोभिड–१९ प्रतिकार्यको हिस्साअन्तर्गत औद्योगिक क्षेत्रमा निरीक्षण गर्ने क्रममा “अधिकारीहरूले गैरकानुनी र अनैतिक गतिविधिमा संलग्न व्यक्तिहरू फेला पारेको “ बतायो । “यस्ता गतिविधिहरूमा मानव स्वास्थ्यलाई गम्भीर रूपमा खतरामा पार्न सक्ने खतरनाक खाद्य वस्तु लगायतका निषेधित र प्रतिबन्धित वस्तुहरूको उत्पादन र बेचबिखन आदि रहेको“ पनि उसले बतायो ।
यद्यपि एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनलले अन्तर्वार्ता गरेमध्यका १८ जनाले उनीहरूलाई लगाइएको कुनै पनि आरोप वा अभियोगका बारेमा आफू जानकार नभएको बताए । दुई जनाले भने अरेबिक भाषा बोल्ने उनीहरूसँगै हिरासतमा रहेका अन्य श्रमिकहरूले उनीहरूलाई रक्सी आपूर्ति गरेको आरोप लगाएको भनी भनेको कुरा एम्नेस्टीलाई बताए । न प्रहरी न अन्य कुनै अधिकारीले उनीहरूलाई यस्तो आरोपका बारेमा जानकारी गराएका थिए र यी श्रमिकले एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनलसँग यो आरोपका बारेमा पूर्णतया इन्कार गरे ।
एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसलले यी श्रमिकहरूलाई दिइएको कतारी भाषामा लेखिएको कागजातहरूलाई समीक्षा गर्यो जसले उनीहरूलाई फौजदारी अपराधको आरोप लगाएको कुनै सङ्केत गर्दैनन् । साथै अन्तर्वार्ता लिइएका यी कुनै पनि व्यक्तिहरूलाई अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मानवअधिकार कानुनले प्रत्याभूत गरेअनुसार उनीहरूलाई हिरासतमा राखिएको र अन्ततोगत्वा निष्कासन गरिएको विषयको वैधानिकतालाई चुनौती गर्ने अवसरसमेत उपलब्ध गराइएको थिएन ।
सिफारिसहरू
हिरासतमा लिइएको र निष्कासन गर्ने धम्की दिइएको कुनै पनि आप्रवासी श्रमिकलाई यसो गर्नाको कारण खुलाउन र उनीहरूलाई त्यसको प्रतिवाद गर्ने अवसर दिन एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनल कतारी अधिकारीहरूलाई आह्वान गर्दछ । कतारले अधिकार उल्लङ्घन भोगेका श्रमिकहरूलाई प्रभावकारी उपचार र परिपूरण पनि सुनिश्चत गर्नुपर्दछ । साथै कतारी अधिकारीहरूले कोभिड–१९ को सङ्कटका क्रममा आप्रवासी श्रमिकहरूको स्वास्थ्यको अधिकारलाई पूर्ण रूपमा संरक्षण गरेको सुनिश्चत गर्नु पर्दछ ।
समाप्त
थप जानकारी वा अन्तर्वार्ताका लागि कृपय सम्पर्क गर्नुहोस्: laurie.hanna@amnesty.org
कार्यालय समय भन्दा बाहेकमा सम्पर्कका लागि: +44 20 7413 5566
email: press@amnesty.org Twitter: @amnestypress