Qatar World Cup workers suffered “human rights abuses”, new Amnesty report finds

Hundreds of safety guards and marshals on the Qatar World Cup went unpaid for lengthy working durations with out days off, earlier than being compelled overseas when the event ended, a new Amnesty International investigation has discovered. Some didn’t earn sufficient to repay the mortgage required for recruitment prices.

The human rights physique state that analysis into Teyseer Security Services “shows pattern of abuses against migrant workers”. Steve Cockburn, Amnesty’s Head of Economic and Social Justice, has in the meantime accused Fifa of failing “to effectively investigate the issue or offer remedies”, demanding that the worldwide governing physique step in and “offer immediate and meaningful remediation for the human rights abuses suffered by workers”.

The group spoke to 22 males from Nepal, Kenya and Ghana, who have been amongst 1000’s of migrant workers employed on short-term contracts by Qatar-based Teyseer Security Services to work as marshals and safety guards at World Cup websites within the build-up and through the event itself. Among the places have been Khalifa International Stadium, Fifa fan zones, the Corniche and the metro station in Souk Waqif.

All of the workers interviewed stated “false promises” have been made by both Teyseer’s representatives or recruitment brokers, amongst them the options they might take up extra senior roles to earn an additional £220 a month, or keep and work within the nation past the three-month contract interval. Once in Qatar, nonetheless, nothing materialised.

Instead, a 3rd of these interviewed – notably these employed as marshals – stated they needed to work 12 hours daily for 28 consecutive days. That got here with none break day or satisfactory pay to mirror this work, which breaches Qatari legislation. The work usually concerned standing for lengthy hours with out sitting down and coping with giant crowds with out satisfactory coaching or help.

“I had to take out a loan to pay for the expenses to travel to work in Qatar during the World Cup,” Marcus, his identify modified at his request, instructed Amnesty. “I am still paying it, what I earned was not enough.”

Richard, who has additionally requested his identify be modified and labored at one of many crew coaching grounds, discovered he would have earned extra had he stayed in Ghana.

“I lost because I paid almost £550 before going there. I only received about £1,200, so I only made £650. I would get more than that if I had stayed in Ghana. I lost my job as a result [of going] so I came back with little money and no job.”

Kiran, a modified identify for a employee from Nepal, discovered the character of his work on the Souk Waqif metro intimidating and bodily arduous.

“It was a tough job because there was one metro [station] in the area and too much of a crowd. I had to stand for ten to 12 hours a day… just resting my back on the barricades. At times we felt scared because it was too busy, and people were pushing.”

Cockburn places the first accountability on Fifa and Qatar, stating the nation’s present mechanism for redress is “not fit for purpose”.

He stated: “The World Cup organisers were well aware of the issues but failed to put in place adequate measures to protect workers and prevent predictable labour abuses at World Cup sites, even after workers raised these issues directly.

“It’s six months since the tournament concluded but Fifa and Qatar have yet to offer an effective and accessible scheme to enable abused workers to receive the justice and compensation they are owed. Qatar’s existing mechanism for redress is not fit for purpose and has left thousands of workers deprived of compensation for the abuses they suffered.

“Fifa has a clear responsibility to ensure human rights are respected throughout the supply chain engaged in preparing and delivering its showcase competition.

“Although six months have passed since the World Cup, Fifa has yet to effectively investigate the issue, or offer remedies. Workers have already waited too long for justice. Fifa must now step in and offer immediate and meaningful remediation for the human rights abuses suffered by workers.”

The abuses led a lot of Teyseer’s workers to protest on a number of events whereas they have been in Qatar. Some instructed Amnesty they reported their therapy on the World Cup Grievances Hotline however no motion was taken.

One stated a supervisor threatened to fireplace him in relation for complaining and warned him to not report points once more. Hundreds of marshals ultimately staged a protest demanding their dues days earlier than their contracts expired in January, after which workers stated representatives of each Teyseer and the federal government promised they might be compensated. That has not but been honoured.

Amnesty report that Teyseer representatives threatened “action” if the boys failed to go away Qatar on flights organized by the corporate. Hundreds needed to depart Qatar with out compensation.

Teyseer denied the allegations to Amnesty, saying the corporate adopted an “ethical recruitment process” whereas detailing varied measures it had taken to guard workers’ rights. Fifa instructed Amnesty due diligence was carried out on the safety agency however there have been “different perceptions and views” on the expertise of workers.

The world governing physique stated it could search additional clarification on the problems raised however didn’t provide dedication to supply treatment.

Qatar has launched a grievance mechanism however workers should nonetheless be within the nation to entry the state’s labour courts and any compensation scheme. There isn’t any solution to complain remotely and, with workers inevitably compelled to go away as soon as their contracts are up, Amnesty state they’ve been “denied justice”.

The Qatari authorities repeated the widespread line to Amnesty that measures had been taken in recent times to reform its labour system.

Amnesty conclude by stating that the abuses endured are “part of a pattern suffered by migrant workers in Qatar” because the resolution was taken to award the state the World Cup in 2010.

In an announcement to The Independent, Fifa stated: “Fifa, in collaboration with its Qatari counterparts, implemented a far-reaching due diligence process with the aim to ensure that companies involved in Fifa World Cup-related construction and services abide by the Supreme Committee’s Workers’ Welfare Standards. We consider any non-compliance with these standards unacceptable and are actively following up when we learn about alleged breaches.

“After receiving Amnesty International’s allegations concerning Teyseer’s workers on 19 April 2023, Fifa promptly followed up with the SC’s Worker Welfare Department (WWD) as well as with the Doha Office of the International Labour Organisation ILO. It is the primary responsibility of the respective companies as well as the Qatari authorities to rectify possible adverse impacts on workers. As Fifa, we work to use our leverage with the relevant entities to promote the provision of remedy when we become aware of such allegations, in line with our responsibilities under international standards.

“We kindly refer you to the SC and the ILO for further information on this case.

“More broadly, one should not lose track of the bigger picture: International experts and trade union representatives who have assessed and collaborated in the labour rights programme for Fifa World Cup workers have repeatedly recognised that it led to heightened protection and welfare for Fifa World Cup workers.

“In addition, according to the International Labour Organisation, Qatar’s labour reforms have been significant and benefitted hundreds of thousands of workers with the World Cup being an important catalyst for these reforms. It is undeniable that significant progress has taken place, and it is equally clear that the enforcement of such transformative reforms takes time and that heightened efforts are needed to ensure the reforms benefit all workers in the country.”