Change of policy: restoration of citizenship 35. In early 2006 the government reportedly changed its policy and over subsequent months, restored nationality to many of those whose nationality was stripped.31 Reports indicate that in 2008, the government restored citizenship to around a further 2000 people, bringing the total to 5800, but the precise details are not known. The head of Qatar’s Human Rights Commission, himself a member of the Al Murra tribe, claimed on 5 August 2008 that 95% of the clan had their citizenship restored. 32 36. However, when people returned to their homes in Qatar - no longer as Qatari citizens - the government did not automatically return Qatari nationality and it was carried out in a selective basis (as in 2017-8: see below). Members of the clan have said that it is like being treated as a visitor to your own country, and the prospect of eventually obtaining Qatari citizenship, it was perceived, was used to keep members of the al-Ghufran obedient: if a person complained about an aspect of their life, they were reminded that they were citizens of Saudi Arabia. 37. Other forms of discrimination remain in relation to the al-Ghufran (which appear to continue to today). With respect to education, while members of the clan can attend state primary and secondary education facilities, they are not permitted to continue to tertiary education as Qatari nationals. There are unconfirmed reports that members of the clan who returned between 20062016 have been denied access to specific forms of employment as well as access to health, social and other government services that are available to Qatari nationals. For example, a head of a family, Rashid ‘Ali Al Marri, hospitalised in Qatar in connection with kidney failure, in September 2016, was unable to obtain free treatment since he is awaiting for the regularisation of his status. 38. In its 2016 annual report, issued prior to the split in the GCC, the Geneva-based al-Karama, a human rights organisation, stated that: The Qatari NHRC claims that there are currently between 300 and 400 stateless persons residing in Qatar. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, however, this figure is, in fact, significantly higher, namely about 1,500 [sic]. The stateless population in Qatar suffers an array of discriminatory measures due to the denial of their right to nationality. While the government affords stateless residents access to basic education and healthcare, the latter face hurdles when pursuing higher education. They also have to renew their residency permit every two years at a high price, even though they are economically disadvantaged and face challenges in gaining employment and are denied 31 The United States of America Government: Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, 2007 Report on Human Rights states that “ In February 2006 the emir issued orders to begin to reinstate citizenship for as many as 6,000 persons from the Al-Murrah tribe whose citizenship the government revoked between October 2004 and June 2005. Each case was reviewed separately, and by year's end citizenship was restored to all but approximately 150-200 of those who had lost it.” This report is accessible at: https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2007/100604.htm 32 These and other statements were made in Middle East online, ‫السعوديي‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ن‬ ‫القطريي‬ ‫ من‬%95 ‫ قطر تعيد الجنسية إىل‬, 5 May 2008, accessible at: http://www.middle-east-online.com/?id=61670=61670&format=0 ; as well as http://www.aafaq.org/news.aspx?id_news=5285 ; http://www.alriyadh.com/340368 and http://www.almustaqbal.com/v4/Article.aspx?Type=np&Articleid=288184 8