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QNA
New York
PEN America Center, a New York-based organisation that works for defending freedom of expression, has pledged to defend journalists whose names were included on the so-called terror list released by the Saudi Arabia-led bloc, Qatar's National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Chairman Dr Ali bin Smaikh al Marri has said.
This came after the NHRC chief met James Tager, senior manager of free expression at PEN America Center, in New York on Thursday.
The NHRC chief said the organisation expressed its willingness to coordinate with the NHRC to defend Qatari journalists, media professionals and writers whose names were mentioned on the terror list released by blockading countries and work for the lifting of the charges against them.
Dr Marri praised the supportive stance of PEN America Center.
He called on the organisation continue work with American and international media organisations to expose the violations against Qatari journalists, media professionals, and intensify international efforts to prevent the recurrence.
Dr Marri provided a list of illegal practices indulged in by the blockading countries.
The NHRC chairman briefed PEN America director on documented violations of human rights that affected 103 journalists and media personalities.
Dr Marri also underlined the harassment of Qatari channels and newspapers by the blockading countries.
He said the Saudi-led bloc prevented journalists from carrying out their professional duties inside the blockading countries and ran malicious campaigns against Al Jazeera, other channels and newspapers.
Dr Marri touched on the situation of journalists working in Qatar who are citizens of the siege countries and how they were forced to quit their jobs and leave the country in 48 hours, and threatened with strict punishments including up to jail time if they didn't immediately return to their countries.
The NHRC chief gave a briefing on the punishments imposed by the siege countries on their citizens.
Dr Marri briefed the PEN America director on the legal steps taken by NHRC with international rights groups against the blockading countries.
Tager praised the efforts of the NHRC to support freedom of expression and protection of journalists.
He said the œFreedom of Expression: Facing up to the Threat ? conference organised by the NHRC in July saw participation of more than 200 international organisations, media institutions and journalism syndicates as well as the United Nations, UNESCO, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, international dignitaries and international experts.
He said the conference culminated in important recommendations and a strong condemnation by participants of the siege countries due to their violations of human rights and their demand to shut down Al Jazeera network.
The two sides agreed to find mechanisms and practical steps to activate and implement the recommendations of the Doha conference with international partners.
At the end of the meeting, Tager stressed that the organisation will spare no effort to defend human rights, support the protection of journalists and protect their right to freedom of opinion and expression across the world, including Qatari journalists and the staff of Qatari media outlets.
