Jordanian Abdullah Ibhais, part of the World Cup organising committee, revealed poor treatment of migrant workers and is detained on what he says are trumped-up charges
Qatar has upheld the conviction of a 2022 World Cup employee who criticised the treatment of migrant workers in the country, though his sentence has been reduced from five to three years in prison.
Abdullah Ibhais, a former employee of the 2022 Fifa World Cup organising committee, was arrested in November 2019 and sentenced to jail last April, over allegations of bribery and misuse of funds. However, Ibhais and human rights groups have said the government is persecuting him for speaking up for migrant workers in the Gulf state.
Ibhais has been on hunger strike since he was detained on 15 November, during his trial, his family told Reuters. Dutch newspaper NRC published a voice note in early December, reportedly recorded in his cell, in which Ibhais states his decision to continue the strike until he is proven innocent.
'I've gone on a hunger strike because for me this was the last resort after I was denied the chance to a fair trial'
- Abdullah Ibhais
"I've gone on a hunger strike because for me this was the last resort after I was denied the chance to a fair trial," Ibhais is heard saying. "I was denied the chance to be heard, I was denied the chance to speak up and, after all, I was detained whilst my trial has not finished yet."
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