Qatar to hire Swiss lawyers to sue Gulf "siege" states

A top Qatari human rights group said on Wednesday it will employ Swiss lawyers to seek compensation for those impacted by the decision of Gulf countries to cut ties with Doha.

Ali bin Smaikh al Marri, chairman of Qatar's National Human Rights Commission, said his group would take action against Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which cut ties with Qatar this month.

"We'll be coordinating to start legal action with those affected by these sanctions," Marri told a news conference.

"The three countries are responsible to compensate those affected," he said, adding many Qataris qualified for compensation.

"Some cases will be filed in courts in those three countries and in some courts that have international jurisdictions, like in Europe, related to compensation."

TRT World's Zeina Awad has the latest from Doha.

Marri refused to say which Swiss firm would be employed, but said a statement would be released in the near future.

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced the suspension of political, economic and diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing the emirate of support for extremist groups, a claim Doha denies.

The four states closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate's only land border, a vital route for its food imports. They also ordered all Qataris to leave and their own nationals to return home.

Many Qataris own properties and businesses in these countries.

Asian migrants stranded

Asian migrants working as domestic staff and farmers have also been caught up in the crisis with many of them stranded in Saudi Arabia, potentially illegally, after their Qatari bosses were ordered out of the kingdom, Marri said.

The workers from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal have been left without accommodation and money, he continued.

"There are a lot of migrant workers affected by this decision."

Many of those affected were farmers who drive livestock between the two countries.

"Usually the workers travel with Qataris, many Qataris employ farmers and travel with their domestic workers and drivers," Marri told a news conference.

"The workers were not allowed to travel into Qatar and now they are living illegally in Saudi Arabia and do not have basic needs.

"They have no shelter and cannot access money."

Qatar uses a sponsorship system which ties workers to their employer. It was not immediately clear why the workers were left behind and why they did not have the right papers to return.

Crisis grows

The Gulf crisis, the worst to hit the region in years, shows no sign of abating.

Last week, Riyadh laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar to meet by July 3, including ending support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of Al Jazeera television, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate.

The United Arab Emirates has told Qatar it should take the demands seriously or face a "divorce" from its Gulf neighbours.

Qatar said it rejects all foreign interference in its policies.