19 March 2010

Qatar: FREED - Abdullah Al-Khowar and Salim Al-Kowari released after nine months in custody

On 17 March 2010, Qatari authorities have release Abdullah Al-Khowar and Salim Al-Kowari after nearly nine months arbitrary detention. According to initial information Alkarama received while the victims were still in custody: they were hung, beaten and were forced to suffer sleep deprivation for straight three days.


The two men were reportedly arrested by State Security officers on 27 June 2009. At the times of the arrests, neither one of them were presented with a warrant and were immediately taken to an unknown location. Their families had no idea as to their whereabouts for several weeks after their disappearance, until they were finally given visitation rights while in custody of the intelligence service in Doha.

Alkarama sent their cases to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on 22 December 2009.

There is much speculation surrounding these two cases as the suspects were released without ever appearing before a judge or having been subject to any legal proceedings. Their detentions are categorically arbitrary, and Alkarama takes this opportunity to remind the Qatari authorities to respect the edicts of their own domestic laws as well as their international commitments to human rights law.

Mauritania - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

ICCPR: Accessed on 17.11.2004
Optional Protocol: No

State report: Due on 01.11.2017 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 20.11.2013

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 17.11.2004
Optional Protocol: Yes
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): No
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Due on 31.05.2017 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 18.06.2013

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

CED: Ratified on 03.10.2012
Art. 33 (Inquiry procedure): Yes

State report: Overdue since 03.11.2014
Last concluding observations: N/A

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 11.2010 (1st cycle)
Next review: 2015 (2nd cycle)

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

Commission Nationale des Droits de l'Homme (CNDH) – Status A

Last review: 05.2011
Next review: 2016