Journalist jailed in Qatar prison for report on World Cup slave labour

A BBC journalist has apparently been jailed for two nights in Qatar for taking photographs and attempting to gather information on the conditions of migrant workers in the country ahead of the 2022 World Cup finals.

Reporting from Doha, Mark Lobel claims to have been invited to the country by the Prime Minister's office, who were apparently keen to show off new accommodation for the low-paid workers in the country.

Lobel says he and his accompanying crew were detained for a lengthy period and subject to "hostile" questioning after being the subjects of two days of surveillance prior to their arrests.

In response, the Qatar government said the detentions were made for trespass and breaking Qatari laws.

"By trespassing on private property and running afoul of Qatari laws, the BBC reporter made himself the story," the Qatar government said.

In a further statement, the BBC said its team was "engaged in a perfectly proper piece of journalism" and requested a full explanation and return of equipment which was confiscated.

The statement added: "The Qatari authorities have made a series of conflicting allegations to justify the detention, all of which the team rejects."

Lobel himself has shared with the world his account of what took place.

"Our arrest was dramatic," he said.

"We were on a quiet stretch of road in the capital, Doha, on our way to film a group of workers from Nepal.

"The working and housing conditions of migrant workers constructing new buildings in Qatar ahead of the World Cup have been heavily criticised and we wanted to see them for ourselves.

"Suddenly, eight white cars surrounded our vehicle and directed us on to a side road at speed.

"A dozen security officers frisked us in the street, shouting at us when we tried to talk. They took away our equipment and hard drives and drove us to their headquarters.

"Later, in the city's main police station, the cameraman, translator, driver and I were interrogated separately by intelligence officers. The questioning was hostile.

"We were never accused of anything directly, instead they asked over and over what we had done and who we had met."

The news about the arrest of the BBC journalist is the latest notorius incident to damage the credibility of FIFA in awarding their flagship tournament to the tiny Arab country in 2010.

The tournament will go ahead in December 2022 after FIFA were forced to move the finals admitting the summer temperatures in the desert were too hot.

The traditional European football calendar will have to be rearranged to cope with the tournament.

Bookmakers William Hill reacted to the news of the journalist's arrest by slashing the odds on Qatar being stripped of the finals. The odds are now 7-2, down from 6-1, that FIFA will have to back down from one of the most heavily-criticised decisions in sporting history.

“Despite the fact that construction is well underway, it is not a certainty that the World Cup will take place in Qatar come 2022 and any more PR disasters will only see the odds of it taking place elsewhere tumble even further,” said William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly.

Reda Maher outlined the considerable difficulties facing Qatar in a recent blog for Eurosport:

"The 40 degree-plus summer heat; a despicable human rights record; indentured labour practises that extend beyond domestic or manual servitude into the world of professional football; the ban on homosexuality; a refusal to recognise the state of Israel, a nation which could well participate in the tournament; strict rules on alcohol consumption… the list is not quite endless, but it should have been sufficient to discount Qatar from getting past the first round of voting."

Lobel revealed that he was informed Qatar was not "Disneyland" by anxious officials.

"It was meant to be the first day of our PR tour but instead we were later handcuffed and taken to be questioned for a second time, at the department of public prosecutions.

"Thirteen hours of waiting around and questioning later, one of the interrogators snapped. "This is not Disneyland," he barked. "You can't stick your camera anywhere."

"It was as if he felt we were treating his country like something to be gawped at, suggesting we thought of trips to see controversial housing and working conditions as a form of entertainment.

"In perfect English and with more than a touch of malice, he threatened us with another four days in prison - to teach us a lesson.

"I began my second night in prison on a disgusting soiled mattress. At least we did not go hungry, as we had the previous day. One of the guards took pity on us and sent out for roast chicken with rice.

"In the early hours of the next morning, just as suddenly as we were arrested, we were released."

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