Qatar Accused of Violating Intenational Law of Nonrefoulement

June 5, 2011
Qatar Accused of Violating Intenational Law of Nonrefoulement

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has accused Qatar of violating international law by returning a female refugee from Libya to her home country after she complained about gang rapes by Libyan government troops in Tripoli. 

UNHCR had determined that Ms. Al Obeidi qualified as a refugee.  Adrian Edwards, a spokesperson for UNHCR stated that: “UNHCR was present at the hotel where Ms. Al Obeidi was staying in Qatar, ready to accompany her to the airport to travel to an emergency transit centre in Romania . . . She was prevented from leaving for this flight in the early hours of Thursday morning. Ms. Al Obeidi was transported against her will to Benghazi on a flight by Qatar early Thursday,” he added.

Qatar is not a member of the 1951 Refugee Convention, but it may be argued that the duty of nonrefoulement exists under customary international law.  The principle of nonrefoulement prohibits a state from returning a refugee against his or her will to a country where he or she fears threats to life or freedom.
(cgb)