Qatar- PEN America pledges to defend journalists on siege countries' list

New York: Chairman of Qatar's National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Dr. Ali bin Sumaikh Al Marri discussed the issue of the Qatari journalists, media professionals and writers whose names were mentioned on the list of those accused of supporting terrorism, published by the siege countries. The topic was discussed yesterday with James Tager, the senior manager of free expression at PEN America Center.
The organisation expressed its willingness to coordinate with NHRC in order to defend the accused and work on lifting the charges off them and alleviate the moral impact the charges have caused.
Al Marri praised the supportive stance PEN America has taken and its efforts to protect them from the consequences of the siege, Qatar is currently facing.
He called on the organisation to further support and continue its path with American and international media organisations to expose the violations against Qatari journalists, media professionals citizens, as well as intensify international efforts to prevent their recurrence in the future.
During the meeting, Al Marri provided a detailed list for the different illegal practices and violations of human rights in which the siege countries have implemented, including violating the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the threats to Qatari journalists, residents as well as journalists from siege nationalities working in Qatari media.
The NHRC chairman briefed PEN America director on documented violations of human rights that affected 103 journalists and media personalities who were subjected to pressure and harassment.
He referenced the siege countries' harassment of Qatari channels and newspapers and preventing them from the right to carry out their professional duties inside the siege countries, in addition to the distortion campaigns against Al Jazeera and other channels and newspapers.

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