Migrant Workers For Qatar World Cup Being Held For Demanding Unpaid Wages

Several security personnel detained during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar are still being held in the country four months after their arrested, reported The Guardian. They were reportedly detained following their bid to resolve a dispute over unpaid wages.

An Indian national is among those security guards imprisoned in Qatar alongside two Pakistan nationals, who have been sentenced to six months in prison and fined 10,000 riyals each, which amounts to Rs 2,20,000.

The issue was brought to light initially by a human rights group named Equidem, which was later verified by The Guardian.

According to the report, both Indian and Pakistani nationals were hired by a local private security company called Stark Security Services for the football tournament. However, they were sacked just days after the match even though they had months left on their employment contract.

Meanwhile, the human rights body is demanding their immediate release and claimed that ‘this is the true cost of FIFA’s reckless disregard for the rights of people who help them generate huge profits’.

Apart from the three, there are nine others who were let go before their agreement ended, the report mentioned. Four of them were deported and five others were terminated but still remain in the country.

It may be noted that on January 23, a batch of 200 guards, loaded in a bus, had gone to the security company’s head office so as to negotiate about their unpaid wages. However, the company staff reportedly called in the police and claimed that the workers were blocking the road.

Meanwhile, the employees said that no one except their leaders, got down from the bus to negotiate with the company.