Qatar 2022: UN experts find whistleblower arbitrarily detained for highlighting migrants' wage theft, blames State & World Cup organising body for imprisonment; sponsors mostly fail to respond
In a new development of the Abdullah Ibhais case, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has issued an opinion that Ibhais's detention meets three categories for determining arbitrary detention: it lacked legal basis, it resulted from the exercise of his freedom of opinion and expression, and authorities violated several international norms relating to the right to a fair trial including denial of legal assisstance, coerced confession, failure to allow timely access to evidence, presence at trial, incommunicado detention, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and delayed trial.
Ibhais was accused of misuse of monetary funds and accepting a bribe - allegations that Ibhais maintains are retaliation for his criticism of the organisation's handling of a large strike in August 2019 over migrant workers' wage theft claims.
Ibhais's family released a statement calling for the Qatari authorities to adhere to the requests made by the Working Group in their opinion and states that the opinion "proves without hesitation how far FIFA is from its promises to protect whistleblowers and maintain human rights in the World Cup". The family also calls on FIFA sponsors to intervene and "put real pressure on FIFA to achieve justice for Abdullah".
The opinion follows statements issued by his family, a surprise hearing for Abdullah ending in a ruling against him, and a formal submission to the UN Working Group by NGO FairSquare asking for Abdullah's case to be examined on the basis of arbitrary detention arising from an unfair trial.
FairSquare called on FIFA to intervene for the immediate release of Abdullah. FIFA previously responded to the case in 2021; their response can be read here.
“Three Qatari courts have now convicted Abdullah Ibhais in the absence of any evidence of wrongdoing, and despite credible allegations of a coerced confession. The fact that FIFA has yet to even call for Ibhais to receive a fair trial is another indictment of the organisation’s further decline under Gianni Infantino.”Nick McGeehan, FairSquare
In light of the family's call, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre contacted FIFA, its seven official FIFA Partners and seven World Cup sponsors and 5 regional sponsors to invite them to respond to the opinion and the asks of Ibhais's family, including to outline what steps they had taken to engage with FIFA or the Qatari authorities on behalf of Abdullah Ibhais. Only adidas, Coca-Cola and McDonald's responded.