A view of the Doha skyline. AP
A view of the Doha skyline. AP
A view of the Doha skyline. AP
A view of the Doha skyline. AP

UN hearing for Qatar-UAE judicial case begins in The Hague

Hearings will examine objections raised by UAE against Qatari case

Thomas Harding
Thomas Harding
London

August 31, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Tension between Qatar and several Arab nations will come under the spotlight of a UN judicial case today.

The UN’s top court in The Hague will hold hearings over objections raised by the UAE against a Qatari case alleging discrimination.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and several other allies severed ties with Qatar in 2017 over its support for terrorism and interference in their domestic affairs.

The decision included suspension of diplomatic relations and closing borders.

A year later, Qatar dragged the UAE to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, with allegations of racially discriminatory behaviour including the expulsion of Qataris.

Despite claims to the contrary, no laws or regulations have been introduced in the UAE to expel Qatari citizens since diplomatic and transport ties were cut on June 5, 2017.

Official figures provided to the court had shown that as of mid-June 2018 there were 2,194 Qataris in the UAE, "a number that is not substantially different than the number as at June 5, 2017”.

The ICJ called for the protection of the rights of Qatari citizens, pending the start of the full hearings in the case, which will start today and last one week.

The ICJ said the hearings would be “devoted to the preliminary objections raised by the United Arab Emirates” against Qatar's case.

The UAE will put its case first today and Qatar will respond on Wednesday.

The hearings are taking place by video link because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The UAE denies all of Qatar's claims and said these fuelled tension, harming efforts to resolve the dispute.

The Emirates filed its own case last year seeking emergency measures to stop Qatar aggravating the dispute. The court denied the application.

The ICJ was set up in 1946 after the Second World War to rule on disputes between member states of the UN.

The court's judgments are binding but it has no means of enforcing them.

Any final ruling in the Qatar case could take years.

Whiile you're here
List of alleged parties

 May 15 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at
least 17 staff members

May 20 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'bring your own booze'
party

Nov 27 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff

Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary
Gavin Williamson

Dec 13 2020: PM and Carrie throw a flat party

Dec 14 2020: London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative
Party headquarters

Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz

Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party

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Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

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Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

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MATCH INFO

Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, May 3
Live: On BeIN Sports HD

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SERIES SCHEDULE

First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6

MATCH INFO

England 19 (Try: Tuilagi; Cons: Farrell; Pens: Ford (4)

New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)

FIXTURES

All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT)

Tuesday
Mairobr v Liverpool
Spartak Moscow v Sevilla
Feyenoord v Shakhtar Donetsk
Manchester City v Napoli
Monaco v Besiktas
RB Leipzig v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur

Wednesday
Benfica v Manchester United
CSKA Moscow v Basel
Bayern Munich v Celtic
Anderlecht v Paris Saint-Germain
Qarabag v Atletico Madrid
Chelsea v Roma
Barcelona v Olympiakos
Juventus v Sporting Lisbon

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Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

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TCL INFO

Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan

Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17

UAE currency
Plastic tipping points
GCC