Overview

The authorities announced new reforms to better protect the rights of migrant workers, but the weak implementation of previous reforms meant that migrants were generally not protected from labour abuse and exploitation in practice. Migrant workers seeking justice in labour disputes over unpaid wages waited for months for their cases to be processed, and hundreds were ultimately forced to return home without their wages. Freedom of expression was unduly restricted, and women faced discrimination in law and practice. Several hundred members of the al-Ghufran clan of the al-Murra tribe , one of the largest tribes in Qatar, remained stateless. Qatari laws continued to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals. Courts continued to issue death sentences; no executions were reported.

Read more