Two Norwegian journalists arrested in Qatar

The two were on site in Qatar doing coverage ahead of next year’s World Cup. And on Sunday evening, just before the scheduled return flight, he was arrested at his hotel in Qatar. They were released after about 30 hours.

according to VG They were also deprived of their mobile phones, computers and cameras.

NRK felt trouble

The editorial office at home in Oslo began to suspect trouble when they had not heard from them as agreed before the scheduled return flight on Sunday. And the investigations gave a message that the two had been arrested. NRK has not received any explanation as to why.

We take seriously the fact that two of our employees have been arrested and questioned in connection with their journalistic work. Freedom of the press is fundamental to NRK and all independent media. We have not received any explanation from the authorities in Qatar, but it is difficult to interpret this as anything other than an attack on a free press, says NRK Broadcasting Director, Thor Germund Eriksen.

The journalists arrived in Qatar on November 14 and booked an interview with a regime critic the next day, according to NRK. But a few hours before the meeting, a critic of the regime was arrested, which was also confirmed by the human rights organization Amnesty International.

no trial

They are now said to be on their way home to Norway.

“The Norwegian Embassy in Abu Dhabi is in contact with the Qatari authorities on the case, and we have received confirmation of their release again. As far as we know, no charges have been brought. We can confirm that the citizens are working for the NRK and that they were arrested when they performed their duties as journalists,” the Foreign Minister wrote Anniken Huitfeldt (PT), in a comment to NRK.