Qatar today released two human rights activists after eight days detention.
Human rights activist Krishna Upadhyaya (52) and photographer Gundev Ghimire (36) had been detained during their investigation into labourers’ situation in the constructing facilities for Qatar’s 2022 World Cup.
Upadhyaya updated his Facebook status saying that he was just released. “Just released, will fly in two days time! We do not have mobile yet, so wait for our calls!,” he wrote in his Facebook.
Upadhayaya and Ghimire – both British passport holders – were in Norway before leaving for Qatar for the assignment on August 27.
They were employed by a Norwegian organisation, Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD), to make the documentary on labourers’ flight in Qatar. They have been working in cooperation with Nepali diplomats in the Gulf nation.
The kin and Global Network for Rights and Development were claiming that Upadhyaya and Ghimire were illegally held incommunicado by Qatar police.
Earlier, after seven days of their disappearance, Foreign Ministry of Qatar had formally confirmed that Nepal-born British citizens Krishna Upadhyaya and Gundev Ghimire were arrested by Qatar security authorities.
A news release issued on website of Foreign Ministry of Qatar – with Saturday’s dateline – stated that they were ‘being interrogated for having violated the provisions of the laws of the State of Qatar.’
The ministry also confired that they were arrested last Sunday on August 31.
The Qatar government assured the investigations are being carried out in a direct contact with the Doha-based British Embassy.

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