1 00:00:10,100 --> 00:00:17,020 MAN: The winner to organise the FIFA World Cup is... Qatar! 2 00:00:17,020 --> 00:00:20,400 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 3 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:25,000 For the many football fans arriving in Qatar for the FIFA World Cup, 4 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:30,400 its capital, Doha, is a glittering, modern city, 5 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,000 with state-of-the-art football stadiums. 6 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,400 TAMIM BIN HAMAD AL THANI: For the first time in the Middle East, 7 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:40,140 Qatar will be hosting the FIFA World Cup. 8 00:00:40,140 --> 00:00:43,400 This edition will be a special one. 9 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:44,900 For the host nation, 10 00:00:44,900 --> 00:00:48,500 it's been a unique chance to promote itself to the world, 11 00:00:48,500 --> 00:00:51,940 recruiting a global superstar to help. 12 00:00:51,940 --> 00:00:54,500 DAVID BECKHAM: It has surprised me with a wide range 13 00:00:54,500 --> 00:01:00,100 of great experiences. It really is an incredible place. 14 00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:06,300 It's a trusted ally of the UK and a major oil and gas supplier. 15 00:01:08,940 --> 00:01:12,500 But behind the pristine Citadel and warm welcome 16 00:01:12,500 --> 00:01:16,400 lies a very different Qatar. 17 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:21,800 This is a country of perhaps 300,000 Qatari citizens. 18 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,000 There is a contract with the regime and the ruled. 19 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,800 No-one challenges the Qataris. 20 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,800 It's a state where those daring to speak out 21 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,140 are locked up and silenced. 22 00:01:34,140 --> 00:01:36,500 They threatened him with torture. 23 00:01:36,500 --> 00:01:39,340 They told him, "Do you think you can see a lawyer here? 24 00:01:39,340 --> 00:01:42,200 "If a lawyer comes here, we will break his leg." 25 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:46,240 Where gay and trans people tell us they are detained and beaten 26 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,640 and forced to undergo conversion therapy. 27 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:54,800 They paint themselves as a very tolerant society. 28 00:01:54,800 --> 00:02:00,460 Meanwhile, they are aggressively hurting us at home. 29 00:02:00,460 --> 00:02:04,180 And threatening us with violence if we speak up. 30 00:02:04,180 --> 00:02:08,260 Where women are denied basic rights. 31 00:02:08,260 --> 00:02:13,420 The male guardianship system is used to abuse women. 32 00:02:13,420 --> 00:02:18,940 This level of control is a form of domestic violence. 33 00:02:18,940 --> 00:02:22,260 A country that has been accused of funding terror. 34 00:02:22,260 --> 00:02:25,220 Senior US Treasury Department and other officials 35 00:02:25,220 --> 00:02:29,140 had been making statements, very clearly pointing at Qatar 36 00:02:29,140 --> 00:02:33,860 for being a permissive environment for terrorist financing. 37 00:02:33,860 --> 00:02:38,460 A place where everyone is kept under close watch. 38 00:02:38,460 --> 00:02:43,060 I was being followed by two jeeps. You know, whenever I left the hotel, 39 00:02:43,060 --> 00:02:47,620 I was being monitored, I was being observed. 40 00:02:47,620 --> 00:02:51,500 They come and check up on you and watch over what you're doing, 41 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:54,380 and even hack your social media. 42 00:02:54,380 --> 00:02:59,180 Over the past six months, we've travelled to Qatar incognito 43 00:02:59,180 --> 00:03:03,220 and spoken to those who have suffered 44 00:03:03,220 --> 00:03:06,740 at the hands of this repressive regime. 45 00:03:06,740 --> 00:03:11,340 There is this sophistication, the opulence of Qatar, 46 00:03:11,340 --> 00:03:17,140 and underlying all that is a very dark and sinister, almost medieval, 47 00:03:17,140 --> 00:03:23,860 regime, which, unfortunately, cost the life of our son. 48 00:03:46,740 --> 00:03:56,780 PHONE RINGS 49 00:03:56,900 --> 00:04:00,820 PHONE BEEPS Failed. 50 00:04:00,820 --> 00:04:05,140 I will try to reach Abdullah through the central prison in Qatar. 51 00:04:05,140 --> 00:04:07,260 The last time I tried and got through to him, 52 00:04:07,260 --> 00:04:09,580 it was three months ago. 53 00:04:09,580 --> 00:04:12,140 He's just in prison in the middle of the desert. 54 00:04:12,140 --> 00:04:16,980 PHONE RINGS 55 00:04:22,260 --> 00:04:25,380 Ziyad's younger brother, Abdullah, is in prison in Qatar. 56 00:04:25,380 --> 00:04:30,860 PHONE RINGS, FAILS 57 00:04:30,860 --> 00:04:35,860 Ah. They are just picking up the phone and closing it. 58 00:04:39,180 --> 00:04:43,620 the phone and closing it. 59 00:04:43,620 --> 00:04:49,940 He's been there since 15 November 2021. 60 00:04:49,940 --> 00:04:53,060 So it's almost ten months. It's crowded. 61 00:04:53,060 --> 00:04:56,340 There is a problem even getting drinking water. 62 00:04:56,340 --> 00:04:59,980 When I asked him to describe the situation, he just said to me, 63 00:04:59,980 --> 00:05:02,180 "It's like hell." 64 00:05:02,180 --> 00:05:04,820 PHONE RINGS 65 00:05:04,820 --> 00:05:07,180 Ziyad says Abdullah was singled out and punished 66 00:05:07,180 --> 00:05:11,140 over the stance he took when migrant workers in Qatar went on strike. 67 00:05:15,340 --> 00:05:18,260 What makes Abdullah's case extraordinary is that he was once 68 00:05:18,260 --> 00:05:21,260 the media manager for Qatar's Supreme Committee, 69 00:05:21,260 --> 00:05:24,220 set up to deliver the World Cup. 70 00:05:24,220 --> 00:05:28,380 For us, it's a severe injustice, and we cannot just accept it. 71 00:05:28,380 --> 00:05:31,620 He is not there because of his wrongdoing. 72 00:05:31,620 --> 00:05:35,380 He is there because somebody decided that he must be there 73 00:05:35,380 --> 00:05:39,020 until the World Cup passes. 74 00:05:39,020 --> 00:05:45,340 After being awarded the tournament in 2010, 75 00:05:45,340 --> 00:05:47,980 Qatar's poor treatment of migrant workers 76 00:05:47,980 --> 00:05:51,060 drew international criticism. 77 00:05:51,060 --> 00:05:55,060 Four years later, the World Cup Supreme Committee pledged 78 00:05:55,060 --> 00:05:57,780 that welfare standards would be high 79 00:05:57,780 --> 00:06:00,100 for all those working on new stadiums. 80 00:06:06,300 --> 00:06:09,140 But in August 2019, thousands of migrant workers 81 00:06:09,140 --> 00:06:12,660 went on strike over unpaid wages and poor working conditions. 82 00:06:12,660 --> 00:06:20,500 COMMOTION 83 00:06:20,500 --> 00:06:22,620 The Supreme Committee was worried 84 00:06:22,620 --> 00:06:26,540 that labourers from World Cup projects might be involved. 85 00:06:26,540 --> 00:06:30,380 So Abdullah and a colleague went down to the protests 86 00:06:30,380 --> 00:06:33,300 and spoke to some of the workers. 87 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:36,660 You have co-workers on Qatar Foundation? 88 00:06:36,660 --> 00:06:40,820 You have colleagues? Have you been paid? 89 00:06:43,300 --> 00:06:45,380 For how many months? 90 00:06:45,380 --> 00:06:50,020 Four months, no money? At Qatar Foundation Stadium? 91 00:06:50,020 --> 00:06:53,100 Among the workers Abdullah met were some who had recently finished 92 00:06:53,100 --> 00:06:59,020 on World Cup stadiums and hadn't been paid. 93 00:06:59,020 --> 00:07:01,780 They found out that there are almost 200 workers 94 00:07:01,780 --> 00:07:06,300 on the Education City Stadium and Al Bayt Stadium. 95 00:07:06,300 --> 00:07:08,620 They were part of the strike. 96 00:07:08,620 --> 00:07:11,860 They were not paid their salaries for four months. 97 00:07:11,860 --> 00:07:16,820 Abdullah took his evidence back to Qatar's Supreme Committee. 98 00:07:16,820 --> 00:07:21,220 It wanted to put out a statement saying that none of the protesters 99 00:07:21,220 --> 00:07:24,540 were working on World Cup stadiums. 100 00:07:24,540 --> 00:07:29,340 Abdullah told them, "We cannot say that this has nothing to do 101 00:07:29,340 --> 00:07:33,180 "with the World Cup, because there are 200 workers from Al Bayt. 102 00:07:33,180 --> 00:07:36,020 "That's a false statement. We cannot say it. 103 00:07:36,020 --> 00:07:40,140 "If we lie about that, it will show up at the end." 104 00:07:40,140 --> 00:07:43,380 Abdullah came under increasing pressure, 105 00:07:43,380 --> 00:07:47,380 with the head of the committee demanding an immediate solution. 106 00:07:47,380 --> 00:07:50,260 Put a narrative on it. 107 00:07:50,260 --> 00:07:53,020 Put a spin on it, if we have to sit down and use the word. 108 00:07:53,020 --> 00:07:55,700 And give me a strategy, or give me an explanation. 109 00:07:55,700 --> 00:07:58,540 Worker welfare, communication. I'm coming in tomorrow. 110 00:07:58,540 --> 00:08:01,660 I want both of you to sit down and give me a very clear, 111 00:08:01,660 --> 00:08:06,660 concise response on the situation. 112 00:08:06,660 --> 00:08:11,220 Abdullah refused to change his mind. 113 00:08:11,220 --> 00:08:14,820 But the committee later put out a statement that failed to acknowledge 114 00:08:14,820 --> 00:08:18,100 there were World Cup workers at the protest. 115 00:08:18,100 --> 00:08:20,740 He was just trying to be decent, to be sincere. 116 00:08:20,740 --> 00:08:24,300 To do his professional duties. 117 00:08:24,300 --> 00:08:27,020 Three months later, the Supreme Committee 118 00:08:27,020 --> 00:08:30,540 made a complaint to the police against Abdullah. 119 00:08:30,540 --> 00:08:34,020 Officers turned up at his work and arrested him. 120 00:08:34,020 --> 00:08:39,380 He was held for 38 days. 121 00:08:39,380 --> 00:08:43,380 They threatened him with torture. 122 00:08:43,380 --> 00:08:46,660 They told him, "Do you think you can see a lawyer here? 123 00:08:46,660 --> 00:08:50,260 "If a lawyer comes here, we will break his leg." 124 00:08:50,260 --> 00:08:53,580 So he broke and signed a confession. 125 00:08:53,580 --> 00:09:00,540 Because he found that he had no other way out at that time. 126 00:09:00,540 --> 00:09:02,940 Abdullah was then charged with bribery 127 00:09:02,940 --> 00:09:05,820 over the award of a social media contract. 128 00:09:05,820 --> 00:09:09,700 A charge he's always denied. 129 00:09:09,700 --> 00:09:12,940 His trial was grossly unfair. 130 00:09:12,940 --> 00:09:17,300 His trial was marked by an absolute absence of evidence. 131 00:09:17,300 --> 00:09:22,660 The court refused to pay attention to his allegations 132 00:09:22,660 --> 00:09:25,620 that he signed his confession under duress. 133 00:09:25,620 --> 00:09:28,780 And that was really the only solid evidence. 134 00:09:28,780 --> 00:09:31,940 In April 2021, Abdullah was found guilty 135 00:09:31,940 --> 00:09:36,940 and sentenced to five years in jail. He immediately appealed. 136 00:09:36,940 --> 00:09:40,860 The Qataris insist the charges 137 00:09:40,860 --> 00:09:45,060 were not linked to Abdullah's criticism of the Supreme Committee. 138 00:09:45,060 --> 00:09:48,020 FIFA says it is monitoring his case closely 139 00:09:48,020 --> 00:09:50,700 and everyone deserves a fair trial. 140 00:09:59,180 --> 00:10:04,300 On release, pending an appeal, Abdullah contacted Benjamin Best. 141 00:10:04,300 --> 00:10:06,780 He's a journalist who had exposed the exploitation 142 00:10:06,780 --> 00:10:09,940 of migrant labourers working on World Cup sites. 143 00:10:09,940 --> 00:10:13,220 At that point, he became a whistleblower. 144 00:10:13,220 --> 00:10:18,540 He thought that it's his only chance to contact international media, 145 00:10:18,540 --> 00:10:24,340 and to raise awareness about his case. 146 00:10:24,340 --> 00:10:28,380 Then, one morning, Benjamin received a message. 147 00:10:28,380 --> 00:10:31,860 Abdullah's wife sent me a text message, 148 00:10:31,860 --> 00:10:34,660 saying that police came to their house, 149 00:10:34,660 --> 00:10:40,740 and then he called me, and I recorded our phone call. 150 00:11:12,980 --> 00:11:19,060 So, that was... That was his last call. 151 00:11:19,060 --> 00:11:22,660 Abdullah remains in prison in Qatar. 152 00:11:22,660 --> 00:11:26,180 His sentence was reduced to three years. 153 00:11:26,180 --> 00:11:31,260 He has just had his third appeal rejected. 154 00:11:31,260 --> 00:11:36,460 I was able to go back to Qatar in December of 2021. 155 00:11:36,460 --> 00:11:42,620 I tried to visit him in jail, but I wasn't able to. 156 00:11:42,620 --> 00:11:48,500 I was being followed by two jeeps. 157 00:11:48,500 --> 00:11:51,380 You know, whenever I left the hotel in the morning until late at night, 158 00:11:51,380 --> 00:11:57,700 I was being monitored, I was being observed. 159 00:11:57,700 --> 00:12:00,820 Qatar is an autocratic country, 160 00:12:00,820 --> 00:12:04,500 and it seems like Abdullah Ibhais got in the way, 161 00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:12,500 and he has to pay a very high price for his criticism. 162 00:12:12,500 --> 00:12:15,940 The Qatari Government and Supreme Committee told us 163 00:12:15,940 --> 00:12:18,900 that Abdullah's allegations are completely false. 164 00:12:18,900 --> 00:12:20,940 Raising issues is encouraged at the committee, 165 00:12:20,940 --> 00:12:24,220 and its head, Mr Al Thawadi, was seeking clarification 166 00:12:24,220 --> 00:12:28,420 over whether its workers were involved in the strike. 167 00:12:28,420 --> 00:12:31,180 It says the committee reviewed audio and documentary evidence 168 00:12:31,180 --> 00:12:34,740 before finding the complaint against Abdullah had merit 169 00:12:34,740 --> 00:12:38,220 and passing it to the authorities. 170 00:12:38,220 --> 00:12:42,940 But his brother, Ziyad, told us this evidence wasn't presented at court. 171 00:12:42,940 --> 00:12:45,060 FIFA and the Qatari Government say 172 00:12:45,060 --> 00:12:48,620 labour reforms have benefited hundreds of thousands of workers. 173 00:12:53,980 --> 00:13:00,100 Abdullah Ibhais is not the only one to pay a high price 174 00:13:00,100 --> 00:13:03,420 after falling foul of the Qatari authorities 175 00:13:03,420 --> 00:13:05,740 in the run-up to the World Cup. 176 00:13:14,700 --> 00:13:17,260 Marc is a super intelligent guy. Loved his job. 177 00:13:17,260 --> 00:13:19,620 He was engaging, he would talk to everybody. 178 00:13:19,620 --> 00:13:22,220 A real team player, sportsman. 179 00:13:22,220 --> 00:13:29,420 Sorry, I can hear my voice already going. Sorry. 180 00:13:29,420 --> 00:13:32,340 Marc Bennett was working for Discover Qatar, 181 00:13:32,340 --> 00:13:35,220 part of Qatar Airways. 182 00:13:35,220 --> 00:13:37,580 A leading travel expert, he was there to develop 183 00:13:37,580 --> 00:13:40,860 the country's tourism ahead of the World Cup. 184 00:13:40,860 --> 00:13:45,620 He was a wonderful son. So devoted to his family. 185 00:13:45,620 --> 00:13:54,340 I have nothing but praise for him. And his loss is enormous. 186 00:13:54,340 --> 00:13:57,940 In 2019, Marc left Qatar 187 00:13:57,940 --> 00:14:02,380 after being headhunted by a company in Saudi Arabia. 188 00:14:02,380 --> 00:14:06,820 It was at the height of a diplomatic crISIS 189 00:14:06,820 --> 00:14:08,820 between the neighbouring countries, 190 00:14:08,820 --> 00:14:12,980 but Marc believed the parting was amicable. 191 00:14:12,980 --> 00:14:16,860 In October, Marc returned to Doha to finalise some paperwork. 192 00:14:16,860 --> 00:14:20,660 But on the day he was due to fly home, 193 00:14:20,660 --> 00:14:24,620 he stopped answering his phone. 194 00:14:24,620 --> 00:14:27,860 We spoke in the morning, and he was heading off for the airport. 195 00:14:27,860 --> 00:14:32,780 I was WhatsApping him throughout most of the day, 196 00:14:32,780 --> 00:14:37,500 and I could see that his WhatsApps weren't going through. 197 00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:40,060 Going into the evening, I still couldn't get hold of him. 198 00:14:40,060 --> 00:14:46,700 I was due to pick him up that night. Just didn't know what had happened. 199 00:14:46,700 --> 00:14:51,220 Marc had been asked to stop off at the head office of Qatar Airways. 200 00:14:51,220 --> 00:14:54,340 There, he was questioned by police. 201 00:14:54,340 --> 00:14:58,500 He was then led out, arrested, blindfolded, handcuffed 202 00:14:58,500 --> 00:15:01,580 and driven to a detention centre. 203 00:15:01,580 --> 00:15:04,820 And then it wasn't until the early hours of Friday 204 00:15:04,820 --> 00:15:07,700 that I did get a phone call from Marc. 205 00:15:07,700 --> 00:15:11,420 He phoned up to say, "Hey, Nance, it's Marc. 206 00:15:11,420 --> 00:15:16,420 "I'm with the police. I'm not allowed to tell you anything." 207 00:15:16,420 --> 00:15:20,820 It would be two weeks before Nancy spoke to him again. 208 00:15:20,820 --> 00:15:27,820 I didn't recognise his voice. I had to ask who it was. So hoarse. 209 00:15:27,820 --> 00:15:31,100 It just wasn't Marc talking. 210 00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:35,220 While in detention, he says he was accused 211 00:15:35,220 --> 00:15:37,180 of stealing intellectual property 212 00:15:37,180 --> 00:15:41,060 to take to a competitor who was a threat to Qatar. 213 00:15:41,060 --> 00:15:45,580 He was subjected to mental and physical torture. 214 00:15:45,580 --> 00:15:51,740 Marc described being beaten over several days. 215 00:15:51,740 --> 00:15:53,700 He said he was woken every two hours, 216 00:15:53,700 --> 00:15:56,300 screamed at and interrogated 217 00:15:56,300 --> 00:16:00,180 and accused of passing information to the Saudis. 218 00:16:00,180 --> 00:16:04,580 It was all along the lines of how long he'd been in communication 219 00:16:04,580 --> 00:16:08,660 with the Saudi company, who was he talking to, 220 00:16:08,660 --> 00:16:11,220 when did they meet, how many times did they meet? 221 00:16:11,220 --> 00:16:17,540 He could not understand, because he had worked so hard to promote them, 222 00:16:17,540 --> 00:16:19,740 to put them on the world stage, 223 00:16:19,740 --> 00:16:25,620 that he really couldn't understand why he was in this situation. 224 00:16:25,620 --> 00:16:31,820 Marc was held for 25 days before being released without charge. 225 00:16:31,820 --> 00:16:36,620 Had to sign a piece of paper to say that he wouldn't leave the country. 226 00:16:36,620 --> 00:16:41,580 He wasn't allowed his passport, his mobile phone, 227 00:16:41,580 --> 00:16:44,780 his laptop or his iPad. 228 00:16:44,780 --> 00:16:48,980 A friend in Doha said Marc was left traumatised. 229 00:16:48,980 --> 00:16:53,340 But without a passport, he couldn't escape the country. 230 00:16:53,340 --> 00:16:58,460 There was no information. We couldn't get any information. 231 00:16:58,460 --> 00:17:00,220 Lawyers couldn't get information. 232 00:17:00,220 --> 00:17:03,020 The British Embassy couldn't get any information. 233 00:17:03,020 --> 00:17:06,900 Over the next seven weeks, the family spoke every day, 234 00:17:06,900 --> 00:17:09,940 and Marc seemed in good spirits. 235 00:17:09,940 --> 00:17:13,220 Then, on Christmas Eve, there was silence. 236 00:17:13,220 --> 00:17:15,900 I kept on WhatsApping him, and then I was calling. 237 00:17:15,900 --> 00:17:20,020 And I didn't get any reply. 238 00:17:20,020 --> 00:17:24,580 Christmas Day, at seven o'clock in the evening, 239 00:17:24,580 --> 00:17:30,780 two police were on the doorstep to tell us our son had died in Qatar. 240 00:17:30,780 --> 00:17:35,660 It was dreadful. And, you know... 241 00:17:35,660 --> 00:17:41,780 It was the most surreal kind of moment. 242 00:17:41,780 --> 00:17:46,100 I thought they must have made a mistake. 243 00:17:46,100 --> 00:17:49,740 The Qatari police report says he was found hanged 244 00:17:49,740 --> 00:17:55,820 and there was no trace of violence. But no suicide note was found. 245 00:17:55,820 --> 00:17:59,180 A coroner in the UK concluded 246 00:17:59,180 --> 00:18:04,940 there was no specific evidence of suicidal intent. 247 00:18:04,940 --> 00:18:10,460 Marc would never have taken his own life. 248 00:18:10,460 --> 00:18:16,540 We had such a future. We had so many plans in place. 249 00:18:16,540 --> 00:18:21,820 He lived for his family. And they just meant everything to him. 250 00:18:21,820 --> 00:18:28,140 There was never a question that suicide would have entered his head. 251 00:18:28,140 --> 00:18:31,900 Qatar Airways told us Marc Bennett was a valued colleague 252 00:18:31,900 --> 00:18:35,180 and left amicably. But evidence then came to light 253 00:18:35,180 --> 00:18:37,700 he had emailed highly confidential documents 254 00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:40,580 to his private email address without authorisation. 255 00:18:40,580 --> 00:18:43,900 And this became a police matter. 256 00:18:43,900 --> 00:18:47,620 The Qatari Government categorically denies that he was mistreated, 257 00:18:47,620 --> 00:18:51,300 saying all detainees are treated with respect and dignity, 258 00:18:51,300 --> 00:18:54,140 in accordance with international standards. 259 00:19:00,700 --> 00:19:07,700 I don't think that we will ever have answers to precisely what happened. 260 00:19:07,700 --> 00:19:13,020 There is this sophistication, the opulence of Qatar, 261 00:19:13,020 --> 00:19:18,740 and underlying all that is a very dark and sinister, almost medieval, 262 00:19:18,740 --> 00:19:25,460 regime, which, unfortunately, cost the life of our son. 263 00:19:38,980 --> 00:19:43,580 Qatar's gleaming capital city, Doha, rises high above the desert. 264 00:19:43,580 --> 00:19:50,620 But, travelling to the country covertly, 265 00:19:50,620 --> 00:19:55,340 we uncover a world where people are afraid to speak out. 266 00:19:55,340 --> 00:20:03,940 Kept under surveillance by powerful state security. 267 00:20:03,940 --> 00:20:07,660 Here, many women's lives are controlled by laws, 268 00:20:07,660 --> 00:20:11,620 customs and a hard-line interpretation of Islam. 269 00:20:11,620 --> 00:20:14,380 And they enjoy few freedoms. 270 00:20:14,380 --> 00:20:19,220 At the heart of it, a controversial system of guardianship 271 00:20:19,220 --> 00:20:22,740 that gives male relatives, such as a father or husband, 272 00:20:22,740 --> 00:20:27,940 control over women's lives. 273 00:20:27,940 --> 00:20:32,620 Women in Qatar must obtain male guardianship permission to marry, 274 00:20:32,620 --> 00:20:36,300 to travel abroad until certain ages, 275 00:20:36,300 --> 00:20:40,660 and to obtain certain forms of reproductive healthcare. 276 00:20:40,660 --> 00:20:45,700 Hanan is a young Qatari who is speaking to us anonymously, 277 00:20:45,700 --> 00:20:48,180 for fear of reprisals. 278 00:20:48,180 --> 00:20:52,780 She says life under the guardianship system is suffocating. 279 00:20:52,780 --> 00:20:56,980 We feel trapped, like, because we can't go out alone. 280 00:20:56,980 --> 00:21:00,860 For some women, the father or brother decides where she should go, 281 00:21:00,860 --> 00:21:03,980 what she should study, what job they want her to do. 282 00:21:03,980 --> 00:21:07,460 If a cop sees you walking, the first thing they would ask you is, 283 00:21:07,460 --> 00:21:12,220 "Does your dad know you're here? Where is your dad?" 284 00:21:12,220 --> 00:21:15,780 The male guardianship system is used to abuse women 285 00:21:15,780 --> 00:21:19,220 and to deny them their rights. Some women talked about how 286 00:21:19,220 --> 00:21:23,020 this has caused severe mental health harms towards them. 287 00:21:23,020 --> 00:21:28,700 This level of control is a form of domestic violence. 288 00:21:28,700 --> 00:21:30,980 The authorities have even used Qatari TV 289 00:21:30,980 --> 00:21:33,300 to endorse the abuse of women. 290 00:21:45,220 --> 00:21:47,780 In Qatar, there are no specific laws 291 00:21:47,780 --> 00:21:52,020 to protect women and girls from domestic violence. 292 00:21:52,020 --> 00:22:00,340 21-year-old Noof al-Maadeed said she was suffering abuse at home. 293 00:22:00,340 --> 00:22:05,260 Noof had complained of having a very restrictive and abusive life. 294 00:22:05,260 --> 00:22:07,300 She could only go to school and back. 295 00:22:07,300 --> 00:22:10,340 And that was her entire life. 296 00:22:10,340 --> 00:22:13,460 Noof said she went to the authorities for help, 297 00:22:13,460 --> 00:22:16,500 but the abuse continued. 298 00:22:16,500 --> 00:22:19,260 She told me about the failures of the authorities 299 00:22:19,260 --> 00:22:22,820 when she tried to reach out to them, when she was experiencing abuse. 300 00:22:22,820 --> 00:22:25,820 She felt there were no forms of protection in the country 301 00:22:25,820 --> 00:22:27,660 that could save her 302 00:22:27,660 --> 00:22:30,340 from the violence that she was incredibly fearful of. 303 00:22:30,340 --> 00:22:32,580 And so she decided to leave. 304 00:22:32,580 --> 00:22:38,380 But leaving Qatar is not easy for a young woman. 305 00:22:38,380 --> 00:22:41,300 Under its guardianship rules, 306 00:22:41,300 --> 00:22:45,740 women under 25 are not allowed to do so without explicit permission, 307 00:22:45,740 --> 00:22:48,580 given through a government phone app. 308 00:22:48,580 --> 00:22:52,660 The only way for Noof to escape 309 00:22:52,660 --> 00:22:55,940 was to take her father's phone without him knowing, 310 00:22:55,940 --> 00:23:00,540 so she could use his app to approve her exit permit. 311 00:23:00,540 --> 00:23:02,300 She had left very early in the morning, 312 00:23:02,300 --> 00:23:04,260 before somebody might have found her. 313 00:23:04,260 --> 00:23:09,740 And then fled out of a window, straight to the airport. 314 00:23:09,740 --> 00:23:12,940 Noof began recording a video diary. 315 00:23:26,620 --> 00:23:29,420 She came to the UK, where she sought asylum. 316 00:23:50,900 --> 00:23:54,100 Noof appeared on this respected Arabic news programme, 317 00:23:54,100 --> 00:23:56,780 speaking out against the repression she had fled. 318 00:24:04,260 --> 00:24:07,620 I really feel like she was a hero for doing that. 319 00:24:07,620 --> 00:24:10,980 It was something different, that never happened before. 320 00:24:10,980 --> 00:24:14,660 So I felt like, wow. Someone tried to escape the abuse. 321 00:24:14,660 --> 00:24:17,780 Noof inspired women around the world, 322 00:24:17,780 --> 00:24:22,540 but Rothna says that in Qatar, there was a backlash. 323 00:24:22,540 --> 00:24:25,180 What the authorities did in reaction 324 00:24:25,180 --> 00:24:28,740 was to start clamping down on women who might be escaping. 325 00:24:28,740 --> 00:24:32,820 Women started telling me that they started to be stopped at the airport 326 00:24:32,820 --> 00:24:36,300 and asked to call their guardians, 327 00:24:36,300 --> 00:24:39,940 to confirm that they had guardian permission to travel abroad. 328 00:24:39,940 --> 00:24:45,180 Emboldened by Noof, Hanan and others used social media 329 00:24:45,180 --> 00:24:48,460 to demand rights for women. 330 00:24:48,460 --> 00:24:50,940 People started to get called by the authorities. 331 00:24:50,940 --> 00:24:52,900 People started to get in trouble. 332 00:24:52,900 --> 00:24:55,900 So then it hit me, OK, like, it's my turn now. 333 00:24:55,900 --> 00:24:59,740 Hanan says she was then called to the police station. 334 00:24:59,740 --> 00:25:05,700 The room had dim lights. It just looked like an interrogation room. 335 00:25:05,700 --> 00:25:09,460 Like, it's just white walls, a table, a chair. 336 00:25:09,460 --> 00:25:13,700 And, yeah, that's it. No windows, nothing. 337 00:25:13,700 --> 00:25:16,180 They printed off all my tweets, 338 00:25:16,180 --> 00:25:18,980 and they were asking, "Why did you say this?" 339 00:25:18,980 --> 00:25:22,660 When they asked me about women's rights, they were laughing. 340 00:25:22,660 --> 00:25:25,340 Then they told me to delete all my tweets. 341 00:25:25,340 --> 00:25:29,140 I had to sign a form saying I won't do this again. 342 00:25:29,140 --> 00:25:32,660 They told me they were watching me. I couldn't hide. 343 00:25:32,660 --> 00:25:36,700 Because it's my first time, I kind of felt, "OK, I'm safe." 344 00:25:36,700 --> 00:25:39,900 But if you're interrogated more than once, 345 00:25:39,900 --> 00:25:41,820 then I think you're in big trouble. 346 00:25:41,820 --> 00:25:45,020 You'll really go to jail or detention. 347 00:25:45,020 --> 00:25:46,780 Fearing for her safety, 348 00:25:46,780 --> 00:25:50,700 Hanan no longer publicly campaigns for women's rights. 349 00:25:50,700 --> 00:25:55,940 In Britain, despite the support she had on social media, 350 00:25:55,940 --> 00:25:59,100 Noof was becoming lonely. 351 00:25:59,100 --> 00:26:01,980 So when the Qatari Government gave assurances 352 00:26:01,980 --> 00:26:06,660 that she would be safe from her family, she agreed to return. 353 00:26:06,660 --> 00:26:10,140 When she returned, I was really scared for her safety. 354 00:26:10,140 --> 00:26:12,820 If you push back against the guardians, 355 00:26:12,820 --> 00:26:15,700 you will never be heard from again. 356 00:26:15,700 --> 00:26:19,740 Honour killings are very popular in the Middle East. 357 00:26:19,740 --> 00:26:24,980 Shortly after arriving back in Qatar, Noof disappeared. 358 00:26:24,980 --> 00:26:29,580 Several sources have told us 359 00:26:29,580 --> 00:26:32,140 she was admitted to a psychiatric ward 360 00:26:32,140 --> 00:26:37,300 at the state-run Hamad hospital. One of Qatar's largest. 361 00:26:37,300 --> 00:26:41,980 The circumstances of her admission remain unclear. 362 00:26:41,980 --> 00:26:44,900 We've tracked down a psychiatrist 363 00:26:44,900 --> 00:26:47,580 who worked at the hospital for years. 364 00:26:47,580 --> 00:26:51,100 She's asked us to protect her identity. 365 00:26:51,100 --> 00:26:55,060 She says she witnessed women and girls being admitted for treatment 366 00:26:55,060 --> 00:26:59,420 simply because they had displeased their families. 367 00:26:59,420 --> 00:27:06,700 It made me very angry and very upset to see patients 368 00:27:06,700 --> 00:27:11,660 in the hospital that are not psychiatric patients. 369 00:27:11,660 --> 00:27:13,860 If it's a woman or a girl, 370 00:27:13,860 --> 00:27:18,460 if she didn't want to marry a man that they wanted her to marry, 371 00:27:18,460 --> 00:27:23,500 that would warrant maybe admission to a psychiatric hospital. 372 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:29,660 If she was physically abused and then she made a fuss or a scene, 373 00:27:29,660 --> 00:27:34,380 then she's crazy and she needs to go to hospital. 374 00:27:34,380 --> 00:27:38,140 If she was a victim of sexual assault, 375 00:27:38,140 --> 00:27:41,140 especially if it was within the family - 376 00:27:41,140 --> 00:27:44,380 that cannot happen, that's never happened - 377 00:27:44,380 --> 00:27:48,220 she's crazy, she needs to go to the hospital. 378 00:27:48,220 --> 00:27:50,780 The doctor says she found it almost impossible 379 00:27:50,780 --> 00:27:54,900 to challenge Qatari families or raise concerns. 380 00:27:54,900 --> 00:27:57,540 It is a psychiatric unit. 381 00:27:57,540 --> 00:28:04,020 So if that person is not ill, this is a very traumatic experience. 382 00:28:04,020 --> 00:28:07,660 I've seen patients feeling very helpless. 383 00:28:07,660 --> 00:28:10,100 A lot of attempted suicide, 384 00:28:10,100 --> 00:28:14,780 because they can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. 385 00:28:14,780 --> 00:28:18,020 Hamad Hospital declined to comment. 386 00:28:18,020 --> 00:28:22,980 For three months, no-one heard from Noof. 387 00:28:22,980 --> 00:28:28,020 Then, in January, she posted on a new Twitter account. 388 00:28:35,660 --> 00:28:38,420 Noof appears to be keen to show she is fine. 389 00:28:38,420 --> 00:28:41,500 But she's stopped campaigning on women's rights, 390 00:28:41,500 --> 00:28:45,780 and we've been unable to speak to her in Qatar. 391 00:28:45,780 --> 00:28:49,180 It was very easy for the society to push under the covers 392 00:28:49,180 --> 00:28:53,460 the amount of abuse that women would sustain, 393 00:28:53,460 --> 00:28:58,780 because women fear for their lives. They fear for their safety. 394 00:28:58,780 --> 00:29:03,340 So they would not talk about it, 395 00:29:03,340 --> 00:29:08,220 because if they do, it will be ten times worse. 396 00:29:08,220 --> 00:29:11,020 The Qatari Government says 397 00:29:11,020 --> 00:29:14,420 it rejects our characterisation of the position of women in Qatar, 398 00:29:14,420 --> 00:29:18,660 saying it leads the Arab world in equal opportunities. 399 00:29:18,660 --> 00:29:22,380 It says Qatari women have full control over their education, 400 00:29:22,380 --> 00:29:24,820 employment and finances. 401 00:29:24,820 --> 00:29:28,700 And guardianship rules relating to marriage and travel are limited. 402 00:29:28,700 --> 00:29:31,060 It says it does not tolerate abuse 403 00:29:31,060 --> 00:29:34,940 and will always seek to bring abusers to justice. 404 00:29:44,380 --> 00:29:46,100 FIFA says it's committed 405 00:29:46,100 --> 00:29:49,180 to a World Cup in which no-one suffers discrimination. 406 00:29:49,180 --> 00:29:53,380 The Emir insists all football fans are welcome in the country. 407 00:29:53,380 --> 00:29:57,780 Listen, everybody is welcome in Doha. We welcome everybody. 408 00:29:57,780 --> 00:30:02,940 But also, we expect and we want people to respect our culture. 409 00:30:02,940 --> 00:30:06,500 But in Qatar, homosexual relationships are punishable 410 00:30:06,500 --> 00:30:09,460 by up to seven years in prison. 411 00:30:09,460 --> 00:30:14,700 And many lesbian, gay and trans people told us 412 00:30:14,700 --> 00:30:18,180 they are terrified of revealing their true identity, 413 00:30:18,180 --> 00:30:23,500 for fear of being rejected by their families and criminalised. 414 00:30:23,500 --> 00:30:30,140 They paint themselves as a very tolerant society. 415 00:30:30,140 --> 00:30:38,660 Meanwhile, they are aggressively... hurting us. At home. 416 00:30:38,660 --> 00:30:42,580 And threatening us with violence if we speak up. 417 00:30:42,580 --> 00:30:45,020 I don't have a lot of photos, 418 00:30:45,020 --> 00:30:48,940 but these were two of me when I was a kid in Qatar. 419 00:30:48,940 --> 00:30:51,660 I did not feel safe. 420 00:30:51,660 --> 00:30:54,980 The people around me, I think, were going to physically harm me. 421 00:30:54,980 --> 00:30:56,860 Like, forget law enforcement or anything, 422 00:30:56,860 --> 00:30:59,900 the second they know I'm gay... 423 00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:04,420 Dr Nasser Mohammed says in Qatar, he lived in constant fear. 424 00:31:04,420 --> 00:31:08,420 When the chance arose to study medicine in the United States, 425 00:31:08,420 --> 00:31:12,260 he left. Only then did he finally feel safe enough 426 00:31:12,260 --> 00:31:15,500 to be open about his sexuality. 427 00:31:15,500 --> 00:31:19,820 There was an immediate and hostile reaction from Qataris. 428 00:31:19,820 --> 00:31:21,940 This one is saying: 429 00:31:21,940 --> 00:31:25,260 "Congratulations, you are the first Qatari 430 00:31:25,260 --> 00:31:29,220 "to stand up and tell the world you're a faggot." 431 00:31:29,220 --> 00:31:32,660 You know, the hate messages went from that to, like... 432 00:31:32,660 --> 00:31:38,100 "Bro, if you're in Qatar, I will let you meet Allah." 433 00:31:38,100 --> 00:31:43,260 "Stop calling yourself Qatari. You disgust us. 434 00:31:43,260 --> 00:31:47,260 "I don't blame your family for disowning you." 435 00:31:53,580 --> 00:31:57,420 In Qatar, our stories and our abuse happen in the shadows. 436 00:31:57,420 --> 00:32:00,740 They are kept in the shadows. They are not public. 437 00:32:00,740 --> 00:32:03,340 And they are not published. 438 00:32:03,340 --> 00:32:07,500 We've uncovered evidence that even now, 439 00:32:07,500 --> 00:32:11,860 with the World Cup just weeks away, gay and trans people 440 00:32:11,860 --> 00:32:15,740 are being arrested and tortured by Qatari police. 441 00:32:15,740 --> 00:32:19,500 Layla is a trans woman. 442 00:32:19,500 --> 00:32:23,700 I'm treated like a criminal because I'm gay and trans. 443 00:32:23,700 --> 00:32:27,540 I'm Qatari too. I'm like their brother or sister. 444 00:32:27,540 --> 00:32:31,340 Don't I deserve to be treated like a human? 445 00:32:31,340 --> 00:32:34,860 She has agreed to speak to us 446 00:32:34,860 --> 00:32:38,340 on condition that we protect her identity. 447 00:32:38,340 --> 00:32:41,780 I was wearing make-up and the police arrested me. 448 00:32:41,780 --> 00:32:44,940 They interrogated me and were beating me. 449 00:32:44,940 --> 00:32:48,780 They beat my genitals to force me to confess. 450 00:32:48,780 --> 00:32:50,940 One officer slapped me so hard 451 00:32:50,940 --> 00:32:53,580 that I could not hear anything for two days. 452 00:32:53,580 --> 00:32:56,900 Afterwards, they shaved my head. 453 00:32:56,900 --> 00:33:03,780 Layla says the police threatened her, 454 00:33:03,780 --> 00:33:08,580 forcing her to become an informant. The police officers said 455 00:33:08,580 --> 00:33:14,540 if I wanted to stay alive I need to work with them. 456 00:33:14,540 --> 00:33:19,100 She was made to lead them to an underground gay party. 457 00:33:19,100 --> 00:33:26,500 I went to the party. But the police came in, and people ran away. 458 00:33:26,500 --> 00:33:30,420 People were jumping from everywhere trying to escape. 459 00:33:30,420 --> 00:33:32,820 The police managed to arrest some people. 460 00:33:32,820 --> 00:33:38,020 Why would they do this to me? I don't know. 461 00:33:38,020 --> 00:33:40,940 Why would they use me as a tool against my people? 462 00:33:47,540 --> 00:33:50,420 We've spoken to other gay and trans people 463 00:33:50,420 --> 00:33:54,500 who have confirmed that the police use informants to entrap them. 464 00:33:54,500 --> 00:33:56,780 After coming out, 465 00:33:56,780 --> 00:34:01,540 I got a lot of direct stories about people being arrested. 466 00:34:01,540 --> 00:34:05,260 The victims themselves reached out to me. And it broke them. 467 00:34:05,260 --> 00:34:09,060 That's what happens. They completely break them, mentally. 468 00:34:09,060 --> 00:34:12,340 They're having nightmares, they're having severe depression, 469 00:34:12,340 --> 00:34:17,540 severe anxiety, and they are just significantly socially withdrawn. 470 00:34:17,540 --> 00:34:22,060 Layla says many in the trans community are more afraid 471 00:34:22,060 --> 00:34:25,300 of being caught than ever before. 472 00:34:25,300 --> 00:34:31,060 I feel trapped. I feel depressed. Most people like me are suffering. 473 00:34:31,060 --> 00:34:35,700 I know many people who are trying to leave. We are all going underground. 474 00:34:52,180 --> 00:34:56,860 In the run-up to the World Cup, we've heard how police 475 00:34:56,860 --> 00:35:00,700 have been arresting and torturing trans and gay Qataris. 476 00:35:00,700 --> 00:35:06,340 We've also uncovered new evidence that so-called conversion therapy 477 00:35:06,340 --> 00:35:10,740 is being carried out in state-sponsored health centres, 478 00:35:10,740 --> 00:35:15,860 to cure or change gay and trans people. 479 00:35:15,860 --> 00:35:21,860 It is very harmful to an LGBT person to go through conversion practices. 480 00:35:21,860 --> 00:35:25,260 There is not a single medical association in the world 481 00:35:25,260 --> 00:35:28,780 that endorses conversion practices with evidence. 482 00:35:28,780 --> 00:35:31,660 It just does not exist. 483 00:35:31,660 --> 00:35:37,420 It's a conversion practice that basically breaks a person 484 00:35:37,420 --> 00:35:41,340 and attempts to break them mentally into fragments 485 00:35:41,340 --> 00:35:44,420 and keep the pieces that fit society. 486 00:35:44,420 --> 00:35:48,380 Several of those we've spoken to 487 00:35:48,380 --> 00:35:52,180 say they have undergone conversion therapy 488 00:35:52,180 --> 00:35:57,100 at the behavioural health center known as Daam. 489 00:35:57,100 --> 00:36:02,940 This slick promotional film shows its state-of-the-art facilities. 490 00:36:02,940 --> 00:36:05,980 But on its website, it said it treats what it calls 491 00:36:05,980 --> 00:36:09,700 "behavioural perversions" and "disorders in society". 492 00:36:15,860 --> 00:36:19,660 Halim is a trans man. He says that for two years, 493 00:36:19,660 --> 00:36:24,580 he was forced by his school to undergo conversion therapy at Daam. 494 00:36:24,580 --> 00:36:28,380 The aim of this therapy was that they knew I was gay. 495 00:36:28,380 --> 00:36:31,940 They wanted to find any possible way to revert me. 496 00:36:31,940 --> 00:36:34,540 Or to change me into a straight person, 497 00:36:34,540 --> 00:36:37,900 as quickly and efficiently as possible. 498 00:36:37,900 --> 00:36:41,020 The therapist just explained to me, 499 00:36:41,020 --> 00:36:44,820 "This is a sin. You are committing a sin by doing this. 500 00:36:44,820 --> 00:36:50,340 "You are going to hell." He was very frightening. 501 00:36:50,340 --> 00:36:53,860 Daam is overseen by the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, 502 00:36:53,860 --> 00:36:57,860 which plays an important role in delivering government policy. 503 00:36:57,860 --> 00:37:02,340 It was founded by Sheikha Moza, the Emir's mother. 504 00:37:02,340 --> 00:37:06,260 I'm not only a mother of my own children, but the mother 505 00:37:06,260 --> 00:37:11,700 for an entire generation of youth across the Middle East. 506 00:37:11,700 --> 00:37:16,900 Halim says his treatment at Daam left him traumatised. 507 00:37:16,900 --> 00:37:20,780 When I had my first conversion therapy, 508 00:37:20,780 --> 00:37:24,940 I remember that I was having a lot of nightmares every single day. 509 00:37:24,940 --> 00:37:28,540 And they only increased as my sessions became heavier. 510 00:37:28,540 --> 00:37:33,260 So the more I had, the more depressed I felt. 511 00:37:40,900 --> 00:37:45,420 It's not only schools that recommend Daam's treatment. 512 00:37:45,420 --> 00:37:48,700 We approached a state-sponsored family advice centre, 513 00:37:48,700 --> 00:37:51,180 posing as a mother concerned about 514 00:37:51,180 --> 00:37:55,140 her daughter's "inappropriate" relationship with a girl. 515 00:37:55,140 --> 00:37:57,660 It referred us to Daam, saying it could draw up a plan 516 00:37:57,660 --> 00:38:00,020 to treat her daughter's problems, 517 00:38:00,020 --> 00:38:03,780 with psychological therapy if necessary. 518 00:38:03,780 --> 00:38:06,260 LGBT individuals I interviewed 519 00:38:06,260 --> 00:38:10,460 all meet the criteria for major depressive disorder, 520 00:38:10,460 --> 00:38:13,900 severe panic attack disorder, anxiety disorder. 521 00:38:13,900 --> 00:38:16,420 And a lot of these can be contributed 522 00:38:16,420 --> 00:38:18,900 to the traumatic conversations and practices 523 00:38:18,900 --> 00:38:23,260 that were done by that behavioural centre in Qatar. 524 00:38:23,260 --> 00:38:28,700 In June, Sheikha Moza issued a decree 525 00:38:28,700 --> 00:38:32,580 passing management of the foundation to the Government. 526 00:38:32,580 --> 00:38:36,580 There is no suggestion that she or the Emir had any knowledge of, 527 00:38:36,580 --> 00:38:40,700 or involvement in, the alleged gay conversion therapy at Daam. 528 00:38:47,580 --> 00:38:51,140 The Qatari Government told us it does not tolerate discrimination 529 00:38:51,140 --> 00:38:54,700 or operate or license any conversion centres. 530 00:38:54,700 --> 00:38:56,660 It says rehabilitation centres 531 00:38:56,660 --> 00:39:01,140 support people suffering from issues such as eating and mood disorders, 532 00:39:01,140 --> 00:39:06,300 and operate to the highest international medical standards. 533 00:39:06,300 --> 00:39:10,220 FIFA says it's confident all necessary measures 534 00:39:10,220 --> 00:39:15,380 will be in place for LGBTQ+ fans to enjoy the tournament. 535 00:39:26,420 --> 00:39:29,020 Qatar is an absolute monarchy. 536 00:39:29,020 --> 00:39:33,180 Criticism of the regime isn't tolerated. 537 00:39:33,180 --> 00:39:38,740 This is a country of perhaps 300,000 Qatari citizens. 538 00:39:38,740 --> 00:39:42,180 There is a contract with the regime and the ruled. 539 00:39:42,180 --> 00:39:45,260 No-one challenges the Qataris. 540 00:39:45,260 --> 00:39:49,220 In 2021, new election laws 541 00:39:49,220 --> 00:39:53,580 disenfranchised many of the minority Al Murrah tribe. 542 00:39:53,580 --> 00:39:56,260 When they took to the streets in peaceful protest, 543 00:39:56,260 --> 00:40:01,220 riot police came out in force. Some protesters were arrested, 544 00:40:01,220 --> 00:40:05,420 accused of disturbing public security and other charges. 545 00:40:05,420 --> 00:40:07,860 Two of their leaders were jailed. 546 00:40:07,860 --> 00:40:12,740 They have been sentenced to life in prison, after a closed-door trial. 547 00:40:12,740 --> 00:40:15,140 This is the approach taken 548 00:40:15,140 --> 00:40:19,220 when Qataris dissent and step out of line. 549 00:40:19,220 --> 00:40:23,220 You know, a peaceful protest should never be prosecuted. 550 00:40:23,220 --> 00:40:26,340 Many members of the tribe have been stripped of their citizenship, 551 00:40:26,340 --> 00:40:29,140 for reasons which are disputed. 552 00:40:29,140 --> 00:40:33,500 It's a sanction used against political dissidents, 553 00:40:33,500 --> 00:40:38,260 like Abdullah Al-Maliki, who now protests from exile. 554 00:40:50,180 --> 00:40:55,100 Six years ago, Abdullah fled Qatar after speaking out. 555 00:40:55,100 --> 00:40:58,020 Since then, he says he's been pursued 556 00:40:58,020 --> 00:41:00,740 by the country's security services. 557 00:41:00,740 --> 00:41:03,780 He's asked us not to reveal his whereabouts. 558 00:41:19,100 --> 00:41:21,340 This year, he was charged in his absence 559 00:41:21,340 --> 00:41:23,900 with attempting to overthrow the regime. 560 00:41:23,900 --> 00:41:26,260 Charges he strenuously denies. 561 00:41:35,860 --> 00:41:38,260 Despite this, he continues to demand justice 562 00:41:38,260 --> 00:41:41,540 for other political dissidents who have been stripped of their rights. 563 00:42:39,020 --> 00:42:41,700 Issa Al Shimari was stripped of his citizenship, 564 00:42:41,700 --> 00:42:45,260 for reasons he's never understood. 565 00:42:45,260 --> 00:42:48,340 In this video, Issa is pleading with the Qatari authorities 566 00:42:48,340 --> 00:42:51,100 to explain why they are punishing him. 567 00:43:15,060 --> 00:43:15,500 In July, in desperation, Issa sent this video to the Emir, 568 00:43:23,060 --> 00:43:26,860 Issa sent this video to the Emir, 569 00:43:26,860 --> 00:43:30,580 Tamim bin Hamad, as well as leading members of the Government. 570 00:43:41,460 --> 00:43:44,380 A few days later, Issa was detained by the police. 571 00:44:17,100 --> 00:44:18,940 The Qatari Government told us 572 00:44:18,940 --> 00:44:22,500 Abdullah's comments do not reflect the true position of Qatar. 573 00:44:22,500 --> 00:44:26,020 It says it's taken steps to promote participation in public life 574 00:44:26,020 --> 00:44:32,220 and the World Cup will act as a catalyst for further progress. 575 00:44:32,220 --> 00:44:34,980 It says most election complaints last year were resolved, 576 00:44:34,980 --> 00:44:37,980 and due process was followed in criminal investigations. 577 00:44:42,020 --> 00:44:44,740 Issa Al Shimari was released in September, 578 00:44:44,740 --> 00:44:47,620 after being held for 62 days without charge. 579 00:44:55,660 --> 00:44:58,780 There is no suggestion the Emir had any knowledge of, or involvement in, 580 00:44:58,780 --> 00:45:01,700 any of these detentions. 581 00:45:01,700 --> 00:45:03,740 But like others whose stories we've heard, 582 00:45:03,740 --> 00:45:06,500 Issa's protests have now fallen silent. 583 00:45:15,140 --> 00:45:18,300 Whilst repressing its own citizens, this tiny Gulf kingdom 584 00:45:18,300 --> 00:45:21,460 has been extending its influence around the world, 585 00:45:21,460 --> 00:45:26,260 using diplomacy and its wealth from oil and natural gas. 586 00:45:26,260 --> 00:45:29,900 During my time in the British embassy in Doha, 587 00:45:29,900 --> 00:45:34,860 the LNG terminal in Milford Haven, which the Qataris had funded, 588 00:45:34,860 --> 00:45:38,820 was opened, and it was a huge event, really significant. 589 00:45:38,820 --> 00:45:43,340 The conflict in Ukraine has left Britain even more dependent 590 00:45:43,340 --> 00:45:49,100 on Qatar, which now supplies almost 40% of our liquefied natural gas. 591 00:45:49,100 --> 00:45:52,300 So that's turned Qatar from a commercial partner 592 00:45:52,300 --> 00:45:55,420 to something more significant. 593 00:45:55,420 --> 00:45:57,740 And that, of course, gives it much more access 594 00:45:57,740 --> 00:46:02,180 into British establishment and Number 10 Downing Street. 595 00:46:02,180 --> 00:46:09,100 Its vast property portfolio in London 596 00:46:09,100 --> 00:46:14,300 includes the Shard, Canary Wharf and Harrods. 597 00:46:14,300 --> 00:46:16,260 But Qatar's interests 598 00:46:16,260 --> 00:46:19,580 have not always sat so comfortably with the West. 599 00:46:19,580 --> 00:46:26,180 Its mosques welcome controversial Islamist clerics, 600 00:46:26,180 --> 00:46:29,060 including one senior preacher 601 00:46:29,060 --> 00:46:33,100 who was banned from entering the UK and US for extreme views like these. 602 00:46:52,980 --> 00:46:58,620 There are fears in the West 603 00:46:58,620 --> 00:47:03,020 that these links to extremism have gone further. 604 00:47:03,020 --> 00:47:07,420 Senior US Government advisers warned for almost a decade 605 00:47:07,420 --> 00:47:12,500 that Qatar was a source of funding for terror groups. 606 00:47:12,500 --> 00:47:15,860 The US Government has been aware of the various actors 607 00:47:15,860 --> 00:47:21,380 that have found safe haven in Qatar. Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas. 608 00:47:21,380 --> 00:47:23,500 They're fundraising in Qatar. 609 00:47:23,500 --> 00:47:26,900 It's sort of like the canteen scene in Star Wars. 610 00:47:26,900 --> 00:47:31,420 Every bad actor you can possibly imagine, all in one place. 611 00:47:31,420 --> 00:47:35,420 This is a strange thing for a country that markets itself 612 00:47:35,420 --> 00:47:38,660 as an important American ally. 613 00:47:38,660 --> 00:47:47,700 EXPLOSIONS, GUNFIRE 614 00:47:47,700 --> 00:47:50,580 When civil war broke out in Syria, Qatar and Western nations 615 00:47:50,580 --> 00:47:57,060 backed Sunni militant groups fighting Bashar al-Assad. 616 00:47:57,060 --> 00:48:02,260 Though Qatar later joined the coalition against ISIS, 617 00:48:02,260 --> 00:48:05,300 wealthy Qataris sent millions of dollars 618 00:48:05,300 --> 00:48:08,300 to another extremist rebel group: Al-Nusra. 619 00:48:08,300 --> 00:48:11,300 The Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda. 620 00:48:11,300 --> 00:48:21,340 SPEAKING OWN LANGUAGE 621 00:48:22,300 --> 00:48:24,860 Qatar is at the centre of this. 622 00:48:24,860 --> 00:48:28,860 Qatar has now taken its place in the lead of countries 623 00:48:28,860 --> 00:48:34,300 that are supporting Al-Qaeda and Al-Qaeda related groups. 624 00:48:34,300 --> 00:48:36,300 Senior US Treasury Department 625 00:48:36,300 --> 00:48:38,740 and other officials had been making statements 626 00:48:38,740 --> 00:48:41,980 very clearly pointing at Qatar for being 627 00:48:41,980 --> 00:48:45,300 a permissive environment for terrorist financing. 628 00:48:45,300 --> 00:48:49,100 In 2017, the former deputy director of the CIA 629 00:48:49,100 --> 00:48:51,100 accused the Qatari state 630 00:48:51,100 --> 00:48:55,500 of directly funding Al-Nusra and other terrorist groups. 631 00:48:55,500 --> 00:48:58,660 When it got to the point that senior US intelligence officials 632 00:48:58,660 --> 00:49:01,220 were publicly saying that not only was funding 633 00:49:01,220 --> 00:49:04,220 coming for some of these groups from within the state of Qatar, 634 00:49:04,220 --> 00:49:08,220 but some of it was from the Government, or from elements 635 00:49:08,220 --> 00:49:11,700 close to the Government, that really got people's attention. 636 00:49:16,460 --> 00:49:20,820 In the run-up to the World Cup, some are trying to hold Qatar to account. 637 00:49:20,820 --> 00:49:24,900 Its government and other institutions are now facing 638 00:49:24,900 --> 00:49:28,580 legal claims over their alleged support for terrorists. 639 00:49:28,580 --> 00:49:31,740 Which they deny. 640 00:49:31,740 --> 00:49:34,940 Luis Moreno Ocampo is a former chief prosecutor 641 00:49:34,940 --> 00:49:38,060 of the International Criminal Court. 642 00:49:38,060 --> 00:49:42,460 He's representing 16 families at the UN, victims of Al-Nusra 643 00:49:42,460 --> 00:49:47,020 who are seeking compensation from Qatar. 644 00:49:47,020 --> 00:49:49,940 The World Cup is the biggest event, 645 00:49:49,940 --> 00:49:52,900 so the World Cup is the biggest promotional machine, 646 00:49:52,900 --> 00:49:56,100 and my fear is the Syrian victims affected by a war 647 00:49:56,100 --> 00:49:59,180 where Qatar has a role will be ignored, 648 00:49:59,180 --> 00:50:02,140 if we are not talking now about them. 649 00:50:02,140 --> 00:50:08,100 The estimation is that Qatar will make $17 billion with the World Cup. 650 00:50:08,100 --> 00:50:11,300 OK. This money should help to compensate the victims 651 00:50:11,300 --> 00:50:15,820 of the terrorism financing by Qatar. 652 00:50:15,820 --> 00:50:20,460 Despite this, relations between Qatar 653 00:50:20,460 --> 00:50:24,620 and its Western allies are growing stronger. 654 00:50:24,620 --> 00:50:27,460 The Qataris have a lot of leverage with us. 655 00:50:27,460 --> 00:50:32,580 We have a significant military presence in Qatar. 656 00:50:32,580 --> 00:50:35,540 The Al Udeid base is probably the most crucial base 657 00:50:35,540 --> 00:50:37,260 we have in the Middle East. 658 00:50:37,260 --> 00:50:40,020 The Qataris have not only allowed us to operate there, 659 00:50:40,020 --> 00:50:41,940 but they paid for it. 660 00:50:41,940 --> 00:50:47,260 It's come to a place now where the Qataris are essentially untouchable. 661 00:50:47,260 --> 00:50:49,740 They can support terrorist organisations, 662 00:50:49,740 --> 00:50:54,540 and Washington shrugs. 663 00:50:54,540 --> 00:50:57,780 The Qatari Government strongly denies Qatar was or is 664 00:50:57,780 --> 00:51:00,980 a permissive environment for terrorist financing. 665 00:51:00,980 --> 00:51:04,580 Or that it supports or provides a haven for terrorists. 666 00:51:04,580 --> 00:51:07,980 It says Jonathan Schanzer and Luis Moreno Ocampo 667 00:51:07,980 --> 00:51:10,980 have an ulterior motive in attacking it. 668 00:51:10,980 --> 00:51:13,500 Something they strongly deny. 669 00:51:13,500 --> 00:51:16,220 It says it does not tolerate hate speech, 670 00:51:16,220 --> 00:51:18,580 and the late cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi 671 00:51:18,580 --> 00:51:20,980 denounced Al-Qaeda and ISIS - 672 00:51:20,980 --> 00:51:23,100 although it does not endorse all his views. 673 00:51:28,860 --> 00:51:34,260 This month, the World Cup will finally get underway. 674 00:51:34,260 --> 00:51:39,340 Fans from around the globe will pour into the stadiums. 675 00:51:39,340 --> 00:51:43,260 But there are those within Qatar and outside the country 676 00:51:43,260 --> 00:51:47,620 who will find little to celebrate. 677 00:51:47,620 --> 00:51:52,300 Hanan is still too afraid to speak out on women's rights. 678 00:51:52,300 --> 00:51:54,780 The unfairness is still going on, 679 00:51:54,780 --> 00:51:57,780 but I feel like there's nothing else in my power to do. 680 00:51:57,780 --> 00:52:00,660 I don't... I don't feel like I can help anyone now. 681 00:52:00,660 --> 00:52:05,540 Abdullah Ibhais remains in a Qatari prison. 682 00:52:05,540 --> 00:52:11,060 It's almost a year. A year for something that he did not do, 683 00:52:11,060 --> 00:52:15,900 and for an incident, even, that did not take place. 684 00:52:15,900 --> 00:52:19,940 Marc Bennett's family continue to search for the truth 685 00:52:19,940 --> 00:52:23,420 surrounding their son's death in Doha. 686 00:52:23,420 --> 00:52:27,060 There is an underbelly of darkness 687 00:52:27,060 --> 00:52:30,980 that's very hard to understand and to come to terms with. 688 00:52:30,980 --> 00:52:40,980 It has left us bereft of the most... incredible treasure of our lives. 689 00:52:44,980 --> 00:52:47,260 And there are those who fear what will happen 690 00:52:47,260 --> 00:52:51,140 when the world's attention moves on. 691 00:52:51,140 --> 00:52:54,340 I am worried about what's going to happen after the World Cup, 692 00:52:54,340 --> 00:52:57,180 for LGBT Qataris. 693 00:52:57,180 --> 00:53:00,980 I'm worried about what is going to happen 694 00:53:00,980 --> 00:53:07,740 when your cameras look the other way.