OPINION No. 9/2001 (QATAR)

Communication addressed to the Government on 1 December 2000

Concerning Mr. Abdul Rahman Amair Al-Noaimi

The State is not a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

1. The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention was established by Commission on Human Rights resolution 1991/42. The mandate of the Working Group was clarified and extended by resolutions 1997/50 and 2000/36, and reconfirmed by resolution 2001/40. Acting in accordance with its methods of work, the Working Group forwarded the above-mentioned communication to the Government.

2. According to the information received by the Working Group, on 16 June 1998, Mr. Abdul Rahman Amair Al-Noaimi was arrested by the secret police of Qatar, “The Mabahith”, and transferred to Aé-Rayyan police station in Doha. According to the source, no arrest warrant was issued. It was alleged that he has since been detained without being allowed to have access to his lawyer and his family. It remained unknown on which specific charges the arrest and detention of this person were based and whether he had been formally charged or tried since the date of his arrest.

3. The Working Group conveys its appreciation to the Government for having provided the requisite information in good time.

4. The Working Group takes note with satisfaction of the information from the Government that Mr. Abdul Rahman Amair Al-Noaimi is no longer in detention. This information was transmitted to the source, who has not communicated his observations. The Working Group is in a position to render an opinion on the case.

5. Having examined all the available information before it, and without prejudging the arbitrary nature of the detention, the Working Group decides to file the case of Mr. Abdul Rahman Amair Al-Noaimi, in accordance with paragraph 17 (a) of its revised methods of work.

Adopted on 12 September 2001
E/CN.4/2002/77/Add.1