The Guardian
Subtopic iconHumanity
Region iconMiddle East
I was jailed for speaking out about the treatment of workers at the Qatar World Cup. I am still being punished | Abdullah Ibhais

I was jailed for speaking out about the treatment of workers at the Qatar World Cup. I am still being punished | Abdullah Ibhais

The 2022 football tournament cost me my freedom for three years. This year, I’ve lost my passport, safety and perhaps moreWhat I saw in a town called Al-Shahaniyah on the outskirts of Doha, the capital of Qatar, seven years ago broke every rule and human right in the book. Desperate, hard-working people were on strike for not receiving their salaries for two, four or six months. Salaries that rarely exceeded $300 (£220) a month, in one of the richest countries in the world at the time.They had no food, no drinking water and no money to survive on or send back home to their families. But what made the situation worse was that they were building something for each and every one of us: not a mansion, a private home, or a road in the middle of nowhere. They were building World Cup stadiums for Messi and Ronaldo to play in, and for me and you to enjoy the show.

11h ago

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