The Arab Organization for Human Rights in UK has filed an urgent complaint with the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedoms and the High Commissioner for Human Rights against Qatar for obstructing its citizens from performing pilgrimage this year. Qatari authorities have banned Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) from landing in Doha to transport Qatari pilgrims despite the request being made well in advance. Saudia Director General Saleh Al-Jasser said Qatari authorities at Doha's Hamad International Airport have denied Saudi planes the right to land at the airport. Saudia's mission was to fly Qatari pilgrims to the Kingdom as per the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz in response to mediation efforts by Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani, a member of Qatar's ruling family. The Organization, in a memo to the Rapporteur, said that by preventing its citizens from performing their rites, Qatar was flagrantly violating their right to fulfill their religious duty in line with the fifth pillar of Islam. It has drawn attention to the prevailing discontent among Qatari citizens for this reason. The Organization demanded that the Qatari violation of religious freedom be discussed at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva from September 11 to 29. King Salman had ordered the opening of the land border and airports to facilitate the entry of pilgrims from Qatar. He also offered to host them at his own expense. The King's gesture belied the accusation made by Doha that Saudi Arabia was hindering the entry of Qatari pilgrims.
