World Cup 2022: Human rights abuses 'persist on a significant scale' in Qatar, according to Amnesty

Amnesty International says human rights abuses «persist on a significant scale» in Qatar ahead of the World Cup which gets underway next month. Amnesty report that progress has been made by the Qatari state to protect migrant workers, but weak regulations and a lack of enforcement means there is «still a long way to go».

Ad The report says: «Despite the positive evolution of Qatar’s labour system, substantial work remains to effectively implement and enforce these [changes]. World CupJota out of World Cup with calf injuryYESTERDAY AT 13:16 »Ultimately, human rights abuses persist on a significant scale today." Amnesty argue that wages are withheld from workers and that there are still examples of the abolished kafala system being practiced in the country.

The human rights organisation also state there has not been enough research undertaken into the thousands of deaths of those working in construction in the country over the last 10 years. The report finds that workers in security and domestic labour are vulnerable to exploitation with some required to work up to 18 hours a day without a day off each week.

Reflecting on the final pre-tournament report, Steve Cockburn, Amnesty’s head of economic and social justice, said: «Although Qatar has made important strides on labour rights over the past five years, it’s abundantly clear that there is a great distance still to go. »With the World Cup looming, the job of protecting migrant workers from exploitation is only half done, while that of compensating those who have suffered abuses has barely started.

«Progress must not grind to a halt once the World Cup roadshow leaves Doha. Turning a blind eye to the abuses suffered by thousands of migrant workers over the years flies in