CAT/C/QAT/CO/2
The State party should take all necessary measures to:
(a)
Effectively implement the current laws combating trafficking, including
Law No. 15 of 2011;
(b)
Ensure systematic procedures to identify victims of trafficking among
vulnerable groups, such as those arrested for immigration violations or prostitution,
and provide protection for victims and access for them to medical, social rehabilitative
and legal services, including counselling services, as appropriate; and
(c)
Create adequate conditions for victims to exercise their right to make
complaints, and conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigation into all
allegations of trafficking, bring perpetrators to justice and ensure punishment with
penalties appropriate to the nature of their crimes.
Refugees and non-refoulement
21.
The Committee is concerned at the absence of national legislation and procedures
explicitly regulating expulsion, refoulement and extradition, consistent with the
requirements of article 3 of the Convention. The Committee regrets the lack of information
on the case of the forced return of Eman al-Obeidi, who had been allegedly raped by
Libyan soldiers, to Libya, even though she had been recognized as a refugee by the Office
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Furthermore, the Committee notes
that, in spite the humanitarian measures by the Qatari authorities to help some refugees, the
State party has not yet ratified international instruments relating to the protection of
refugees and asylum seekers (art. 3).
The State party should:
(a)
Adopt national asylum legislation and procedures providing effective
protection to asylum seekers and refugees from refoulement to a State where are
substantial grounds for believing that he or she would be in danger of being subjected
to torture or ill-treatment, in accordance with article 3 of the Convention;
(b)
As indicated in paragraph 7 of the present concluding observations,
provide disaggregated data on the precise number of asylum applications received, the
number of asylum seekers whose applications were accepted because they had been
tortured or might be tortured if returned to their country of origin, the number of
deportations with an indications of the number of deportations relating to asylum
seekers, and the countries to which deportations have been carried out; and
(c)
Consider acceding to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of
Refugees and its 1967 Optional Protocol, the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of
Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
Juvenile justice
22.
The Committee reiterates its serious concerns that the minimum age of criminal
responsibility is 7 years in Qatar (arts. 2 and 16).
The State party should accelerate the process of its legislative measures, including the
draft law on the children’s rights, to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility
to an internationally acceptable level. The State party should ensure the full
implementation of juvenile justice standards as well the United Nations Standard
Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (Beijing Rules) and the
United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (Riyadh
Guidelines).
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