Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani is protected by diplomatic immunity and thus cannot be sued in the UK over claims that he falsely imprisoned and tortured a British man, the High Court in London has ruled.

Sheikh Hamad was the prime minister of Qatar for five years, and foreign minister for two decades. According to the Guardian, the court said it had no jurisdiction to hear the claim because there is “no judicial authority on how a former prime minister of a sovereign state could be sued in a private capacity for inducing breaches of duty by other public officials.” The complainant said he will appeal.