25. The government asserted that these individuals hid a second nationality - that of Saudi Arabia and under Qatari nationality law dual nationality was and is prohibited and is grounds for revocation of nationality. Yet, members of the clan who did not have dual nationality - a number that is not known - were left stateless. In April 2005 and for months afterwards, thousands reportedly sought refuge in Saudi Arabia, with relatives.26 26. Activists have asserted that the motivation for this act was more likely to have been political. Totalling around 5% of the total population at the time of the revocation of their citizenship, their removal would have ensured that no candidates would stand in parliamentary elections then scheduled. Perhaps more importantly, the whole clan was tainted by members alleged involvement in a counter-coup in 1996.27 Human rights violations committed as a result of revocation of citizenship 27. Deprived of their citizenship, those affected could no longer, over time, hold employment, property, bank accounts; benefit from social services or state education; and some were detained.28 A great many lost their jobs as they were for Qataris only.29 health, etc.) for which they were eligible as citizens of Qatar. Many whose nationality has been revoked are residing in Qatar as stateless people ("bidouns") who cannot travel out of the country.” See: https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/05DOHA845_a.html 26 See the 3 April 2005 article in Gulf News: “Thousands in Saudi Arabia after losing Qatari citizenship”, accessible at: https://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/thousands-in-saudi-arabia-after-losing-qatari-citizenship-1.283103 27 This is addressed in some of the sources cited above, but also in Gulf News,” Citizenship is not allowed under Qatari Law”, 2017, also cited above, accessed at: https://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/dual-citizenship-is-not-allowed-under-qatari-law-1.291746 Also, according to Ghufran activists, in June 1995, the then Crown Prince and Minister of Defence, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa alThani deposed his father, Sheikh Khalifa al-Thani, the ruling Amir of Qatar, in a bloodless coup. Sheikh Khalifa had been on medical visit to Switzerland when his son, a British-trained military officer, carried out the coup. He quickly secured the allegiance of other leaders of the al-Thani family and key members of the international community in order to secure his position. In February 1996, however, supporters of the deposed Amir took part in attempted a counter-coup to re-install the deposed Emir. It failed. In the same month, following the failed counter-coup, the government arrested scores of people and held them in incommunicado detention. Most were released after a short period in detention but approximately 119 of those who took part in the counter coup were members of the al-Ghufran clan of the Al Marra. By February 2000, 19 of the alleged perpetrators had been sentenced to death, 33 were sentenced to life in prison, and the rest were acquitted. None of those sentenced to death were executed. 28 Amnesty International’s 2006 annual report on Qatar (for events in 2005) states: “As many as 6,000 members of the AI-Ghufran branch of the AI-Murra [sic] tribe were deprived of Qatari nationality between October 2004 and June 2005 on grounds, believed to be spurious, that they were nationals of other countries. Some were reportedly forced to leave Qatar to seek resettlement in neighbouring countries,or detained to induce them to do so, despite guarantees in the new Constitution against the deportation of Qatari nationals.” See: https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/POL1000012006ENGLISH.PDF 29 Ghufran rights activists disputed the assertion made by Qatar’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that “all those hit by the provision who have adjusted their status will continue to be granted jobs and services in Qatar as before” and that "Those who have adjusted their legal condition have been allowed to return to their former jobs in the state in addition to enjoying all the services provided to the Qatari citizen, including education, health care and other sectors.", as cited in Gulf News, 24 June 2005, in the article: Dual citizenship 'is not allowed under Qatari law', at: https://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/dual-citizenshipis-not-allowed-under-qatari-law-1.291746 The 2005 US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor’s 2005 report on Qatar stated: “[T]he government revoked the citizenship of as many as six thousand persons, principally from the Al-Ghufran branch of the Al-Murra tribe, who the government claimed possessed Saudi citizenship. This policy created some ‘stateless’ persons. Upon the revocation of their nationality, these individuals automatically lost their jobs, and they and their families were no longer eligible to receive government benefits. The government maintained that these individuals were holding dual citizenship, a status prohibited under law; however, diplomats pointed out that many other dual nationals in Qatar have not been affected. See: https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61697.htm 6