Amnesty: Qatari Authorities Intensify Online Surveillance of LGBTQ+ Residents

According to a new report from Amnesty International, Qatari security forces have ramped up their use of digital surveillance to target and entrap LGBTQ+ individuals within the country. As reported by Amnesty, the Preventive Security Department has allegedly created fake profiles on dating applications and social media platforms to identify and arrest residents based on their sexual orientation. The report claims that those detained in these operations have been subjected to 'preventive detention' without trial, during which they were allegedly forced to unlock their electronic devices and provide information on other members of the community. Amnesty International reported that the crackdown has intensified during the recent period of national mourning, with authorities equating 'unconventional lifestyles' with a lack of respect for national traditions. The report alleges that detainees have faced verbal abuse, forced 'conversion therapy' sessions, and threats of imprisonment if they do not cooperate as informants. According to Amnesty, these actions constitute a grave violation of the right to privacy and the right to freedom from discrimination. The organization claims that the Qatari government’s refusal to decriminalize same-sex relations provides a legal cover for state-sponsored harassment that has only worsened under the new administration's focus on 'conservative values.'