Qatar bid to label ‘boycott’ as ‘blockade’ flayed

Geneva : The Arab Federation for Human Rights (AFHR) has condemned attempts by Qatari government and its official institutions to label the “boycott” imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt as a “blockade”.

In accordance with the provisions of International Law, an “embargo” is defined as a coercive measure taken against a state by a decision of the UN Security Council, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations imposing with a military force, AFHR said in a report.

However, a boycott, AFHR’s report explained, is totally different. It is a withdrawal of diplomatic and economic relations by a state or group of states with another state. A boycott is a sovereign right of all countries to establish or sever diplomatic ties with any country in case the latter seeks to stir unrest and insecurity amongst the international community. Accordingly, Qatar’s description of its boycott as a “blockade” is not justifiable. Therefore, this legal ignorance characterised in the Qatar National Human Rights Committee’s report regarding the distinction between a boycott and a blockade lacks objectivity and aims merely to gain international sympathy, AFHR said.