"BBC reporters arrested in Qatar while investigating migrant worker abuses", 18 May 2015

A group of BBC reporters were recently arrested in Doha and spent two nights in prison while investigating alleged abuse of migrant workers, it emerged on Monday. BBC reporter Mark Lobel wrote on Monday that he and four colleagues were detained in the wealthy Gulf state when on a government-sponsored trip to visit new accommodation aimed at improving the working conditions of migrant workers. When the BBC team tried to film workers outside the trip organised by Qatar’s prime ministerial office, they were swiftly arrested. “Eight white cars surrounded our vehicle and directed us on to a side road at speed,” wrote Lobel. “A dozen security officers frisked us in the street, shouting at us when we tried to talk. They took away our equipment and hard drives and drove us to their headquarters.” “Later, in the city’s main police station, the cameraman, translator, driver and I were interrogated separately by intelligence officers. The questioning was hostile”...