QatarHosting the 2022 World Cup It has been controversialThe tournament has been held every year since the Gulf nation was granted it. FIFA12 years ago.
Campaigners highlighted the human rights abuses in the country, including homosexuality and the deaths of thousands of migrants. They also pointed out five-year sentences for protest.
Human-rights groups are now concerned about The Athletic’s reporting of incidents of violence sexually at the tournament in November and December due to precedents established by Qatari law.
FIFA — world football’s governing body — and the Qatari government have responded by stating they are happy with existing measures, with the latter saying they “protect and promote the rights of women”.
However, recent cases have shown that the victim of a sexual assault or physical assault was not receiving any emotional or physical support but instead of being charged with extra-marital sex.
This crime carries a prison sentence or, if the defendant is Muslim, the prospect of flogging — being beaten repeatedly with a stick or whip.
Flogging is an international human-rights violation that is prohibited by international law.
Rothna Begum, a women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, tells The Athletic: “At any major sporting event, the risk of sexual violence increases greatly.
“In Qatar, women who face sexual violence — whether by their partners, colleagues, friends, or strangers — can find themselves prosecuted for extra-marital sex.
