GENEVA – The Arab Federation for Human Rights refuted allegations made by the National Human Rights Committee in Qatar about the alleged violation of international law by four anti-terrorism countries, Saudi Press Agency reported Saturday.

In a report on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council, which is currently being held in Geneva, the Federation revealed the legal, practical and realistic evidence that the United Nations should use to review the modus operandi and professionalism of the Qatari Human Rights Committee.

The report, presented by a delegation from the Arab Federation headed by Dr. Ahmad Al-Hamli, called on United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to reassess the performance and professionalism of the Qatari Human Rights Committee, as it does not play its role in accordance with international principles relating to human rights, the Federation stated.

With regard to the insistence of the Qatari committee that the boycott is an illegal blockade, the report said that the boycott is radically different from a blockade.

The boycott is the cutting of diplomatic and economic relations by a state or a group of states with another country as a sovereign right if the latter seeks to stir up unrest and prejudice to the security and stability.

The report said that the boycott decision and its logical effects do not violate the rules of international human rights law and does not violate the four countries' contractual obligations, rather is a natural product of the political crisis between the governments of these countries and the Qatari government.

Through this boycott, these countries exercised their sovereign right over their land and air in order to preserve the security and stability of their citizens and the residents on their territory from any crises or events that may worsen in light of the existing political crisis or adversely affect the rights and freedoms protected under various international instruments.

The report stressed that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have issued directives to take the necessary measures to protect, promote the rights and freedoms of joint families, such as the provision of free telephones to receive such cases and take appropriate measures such as the establishment of committees to receive cases and the necessary coordination. – SPA