The United Arab Emirates was dealt yet another blow by the international court on Friday. Earlier it had faced similar embarrasement by a similar decision on July 23, 2018 by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) where the court directed it to reunite families separated by the UAE’s measures, to allow Qatari students to resume their education, and to ensure Qataris to have access to justice before UAE courts.
Under the unlawful imposition of land, sea and air restrictions on Qatar, there was no alternative way for Qatar except approaching the ICJ to resolve dispute over violations committed by Emirates in peaceful manners by taking the dispute to the principal judicial body of the United Nations, the ICJ. The UAE’s measures against Qataris were considered clear breaches to the UN convention of anti-discrimination adopted on December 21, 1965 and entered into force on January 4, 1969 to which Qatar and the UAE are parties.
The International Court of Justice on Friday issued an order rejecting the request filed by the UAE on March 22, 2019, for provisional measures against the State of Qatar in a case relating to the UAE’s unlawful discriminatory treatment of Qatar and its people.
ICJ court said it “rejects the request for provisional measures submitted by the UAE” because the court decides on a wider legal battle between the UAE and Qatar over the blockade not on temporary measures.
Thanks to the UN which provides the world with such platform for solving legal disputes between states, as the regional organization like GCC lacks such mechanisms for dispute settlement, whose importance was highlighted by the State of Qatar often and at the highest level of its leadership.
The decision passed in favour of Qatar, by a vote of 15 to 1, was welcomed by Dr. Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi, Legal Advisor to H E Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Agent of Qatar in the ICJ, who considered the decision “strong acknowledgment of the lack of legal and factual basis for the request made by the UAE as groundless request.
The court delivery was also welcomed by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) which expressed its great satisfaction at the decision, which it considers an essential step to redress victims as another proof of the soundness of the legal moves of the State of Qatar. The NHRC also congratulated the victims of the blockade and human rights organizations for the second victory in the judicial process launched by the State of Qatar to end all forms of “violations resulting from the blockade and to redress those affected.”
