Alina Dohan, the United Nations rapporteur for unilateral coercive measures and human rights, called on Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the Emirates and Egypt to lift the blockade imposed on the State of Qatar since 2017.
Dohan said that the blockade measures have harmed the ability of Qatari citizens to exercise many of their basic freedoms and rights related to family life, education, work, health care, property, freedom to practice religious rites, freedom of expression and the ability to access justice.
Dohan stressed that unilateral measures are legal only when they are authorized by the Security Council, imposed as countermeasures, or when they do not violate states' obligations and do not violate basic human rights.
On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic relations with Qatar.
The four countries took measures with the aim of boycotting Qatar, including closing the airspace, preventing commercial dealings, and stopping Qatari entry to its lands, before presenting several conditions to restore relations, including closing Al Jazeera.
Alina Dohan said that the measures taken undermine the right to freedom of movement and expression.
She said in a media statement in Doha, "Any unilateral measures are illegal if they have negative effects on human rights and fundamental freedoms."
She added that "the measures isolated Qatar from its neighbors and severely restricted its access to other regions of the world, given its geographical location" between Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.
Dohan urged the boycotting countries to "immediately end all sanctions and measures aimed at placing restrictions on freedom of expression, movement and access to property."
She also expressed her "grave concern" about the four countries ’treatment of Qataris residing on their territories at the beginning of the crisis, and“ among those who were reported to have been severely affected by mixed husbands and their children. ”
Talks to end the row stalled late last year after a flurry of diplomatic efforts raised hopes of a breakthrough.
Qatar rejected the boycotting countries' demands, describing them as "unrealistic" and "unenforceable", which led to a stalemate.
The United Nations experts are independent and do not speak for the UN, but the results of their reports can be used to guide the work of United Nations organizations, including the Human Rights Council, and Dohan will present her final report on the visit to the United Nations Human Rights Council in September 2021.