Businesses and individuals in Qatar who have been financially affected by the Gulf crisis can now seek compensation with the help of the government.
Authorities announced the launch of a new Compensation Claims Committee yesterday, as the air, land and sea blockade of Qatar continues into its second month.
Examples of those who can seek claims include companies like Qatar Airways and Qatari students studying abroad whose education was interrupted by the dispute.
The CCC will employ overseas law firms to tackle loss claims made by private companies, public institutions and regular people, the government said in a statement.
Speaking to reporters, Attorney General Dr. Ali bin Fetais al Marri said:
“You have people who have sustained damages, businessmen who have sustained damages, banks which have sustained damages as a result of this blockade. And those who caused these damages to happen must pay compensation for them.”
The committee’s formation comes after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt demanded compensation for Doha’s apparent interference in their internal affairs.
Last week, Qatar rejected that demand, along with a dozen others, such as the closure of Al Jazeera and 10 years worth of regular compliance audits.
How it works
In addition to the attorney general, CCC members include Qatar’s minister of justice and minister of foreign affairs.
The committee is tasked with handling siege-related complaints and will consider each claim on a case-by-case basis.
It will refer businesses or individuals to the relevant jurisdictions, whether they be local (in Qatar courts) or international.
Lawyers have apparently been hired to help in both instances.
The new committee is headquartered in the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center near City Center mall.
The office is open from 7:30am to 1pm and from 3pm to 7pm.
بمناسبة انتقال الوزارة الى برج الخليج بمنطقة الابراج نعلن عن افتتاح مكتب جديد للاستقبال بمركز الدوحة للمعارض بجانب ستي سنتر بوابة (4) pic.twitter.com/biBzr2wFya
— وزارة العدل – قطر (@mojgovqa) July 9, 2017
Officials said the CCC is a permanent body and will not close when the crisis concludes.
According to Al Marri, compensation, whether civil or criminal, can be legally sought even decades after damages are inflicted.
Thoughts?
