Qatar detains workers protesting late payment

An advocacy group says Qatar arrested at least 60 foreign workers who protested going months without their pay and deported some of them

Qatar recently arrested at least 60 foreign workers who protested going months without pay and deported some of them, an advocacy group said, just three months before Doha hosts the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The move comes as Qatar faces international scrutiny over its labour practices. Like other Arab nations, Qatar heavily relies on foreign labour. The workers’ protest a week ago — and Qatar’s reaction to it — could further fuel the concern.

The head of a labour consultancy investigating the incident said the detentions cast new doubt on Qatar’s pledges to improve the treatment of workers.

In a statement, Qatar’s government acknowledged that “a number of protesters were detained for breaching public safety laws.”