Sunday, May 17, 2015

Qatar Shows The World It's Ready For The World Cup By Arresting Journalists

As if Qatar doesn't have enough problems with it in its efforts to build the necessary infrastructure to host a World Cup.  Now they are arresting journalists they invited to view improvements in workers living conditions after out cry over their treatment of migrant workers.

    We were invited to Qatar by the prime minister's office to see new flagship accommodation for low-paid migrant workers - but while gathering additional material for our report, we ended up being thrown into prison for doing our jobs.Our arrest was dramatic.
We were on a quiet stretch of road in the capital, Doha, on our way to film a group of workers from Nepal.
The working and housing conditions of migrant workers constructing new buildings in Qatar ahead of the World Cup have been heavily criticised and we wanted to see them for ourselves.
Suddenly, eight white cars surrounded our vehicle and directed us on to a side road at speed.
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.

The Qatari government is doing themselves no favors with self inflicted wounds the keep giving themselves.

It was meant to be the first day of our PR tour but instead we were later handcuffed and taken to be questioned for a second time, at the department of public prosecutions.
Thirteen hours of waiting around and questioning later, one of the interrogators snapped. "This is not Disneyland," he barked. "You can't stick your camera anywhere."
It was as if he felt we were treating his country like something to be gawped at, suggesting we thought of trips to see controversial housing and working conditions as a form of entertainment.
In perfect English and with more than a touch of malice, he threatened us with another four days in prison - to teach us a lesson.
   

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